Archived: Woodroffe Benton House

Updated 1 April 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 10 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 1 April 2021

Woodroffe Benton House and Goodwin Court is a 'care home'. It is registered to provide nursing care and support for up to 34 older persons. The service provides long term and respite care. At the time of our inspection there were 30 people living at the service, two of these people were staying on respite.

People’s experience of using this service:

People were supported by staff whose suitability was checked through a robust recruitment process. Staff completed relevant training and were experienced in their roles to provide effective care to people. Despite this, maintaining up to date records of staff training was an area of improvement. Following the inspection, the provider gave us up to date training documents. Staff told us they felt well supported and received regular supervisions.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff supported people to make choices and decisions that affected their care.

We received mixed feedback about how responsive staff were to call bells. Despite this we observed, and rotas showed, that there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Call bell records were monitored by the provider and actions were taken if a person needed to wait for longer than the provider expected. Where a person could not use their call bell, staff had signs on the person’s door to prompt staff to check in on that person more regularly.

People told us they felt cared for and safe. We observed friendly and patient interactions between people and staff. People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them, we observed family and friends were able to visit freely without restriction.

People moved freely around the home and grounds and were supported by the adaptations to the premises. People told us they enjoyed visiting the coffee shop next door which was run by the provider. A person told us, “I like to go outside. I go out to the coffee shop with my wife when she visits. The paths link up from here to the coffee shop and gardens, so I can go outside in my wheelchair.”

People had a range of structured activities available and were supported to pursue personal interests such as knitting and reading. People spent time how they wished, we observed people reading, chatting with staff, listening to music or painting.

Provision had been made to support people at the end of their life to have a comfortable, dignified and pain-free death. A GP told us, “Staff are very good in end of life care, they are supportive and engaged.”

Care plans guided staff about people’s needs and how to meet them, for example communication, nursing needs and emotional wellbeing.

People were treated with respect. People’s privacy was upheld, and their dignity was maintained. We observed privacy screens available in communal areas should staff need them.

Staff, people and relatives told us they were able to give their views on the service. People and relatives knew how to make a complaint and people felt confident that their feedback was listened to and acted upon.

Before they came to live at the home, people’s needs were fully assessed to ensure that staff could meet their needs appropriately. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals and people told us they benefited from having a dedicated GP that visited twice weekly. External professionals consistently gave us positive feedback about the service.

Staff knew what action to take if they had any concerns about people’s safety or welfare. Staff knew how to keep people safe in an emergency, such as a fire. People’s risks were identified, assessed and managed appropriately while supporting people.

The overall rating for the service was Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: The service was previously registered as Ifield Park Care Home. Ifield Park Care Home was inspected in November 2017. The service was rated required improvement (published on 2 February 2018). Ifield Park Care Home comprised four units, Woodroffe Benton House and Goodwin Court providing nursing care, Ellwood Place providing care for people who were living with dementia and Penn Court providing residential care. The services changed registration in August 2018 and were registered as separate locations. This is the first inspection of Woodroffe Benton House and Goodwin Court under its new registration.

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection that was scheduled to take place in line with Care Quality Commission (CQC) scheduling guidelines for adult social care services based on the service’s new registration.

Follow up: We will review the service in line with our methodology for Good services. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.