Wansbeck House

Updated 5 March 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

Wansbeck House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager had recently been appointed to a regional management role and was supporting the new manager. They planned to apply to register with CQC.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed all the information we held about the service, including notifications of changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send us within the required timescales. We contacted professionals in local authority commissioning teams and safeguarding teams. We reviewed the service’s previous inspection reports.

We used the information the provider sent us in the last provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person. People receiving personal care were unable to speak with us at length so we spoke with four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff: the new manager, the registered manager, deputy manager, and three support workers. We observed interactions between staff and people who used the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including training, accidents, incidents, safeguarding, auditing, policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We contacted a further three health and social care professionals.

Updated 5 March 2020

About the service

Wansbeck House is a care home for up to eight younger adults who have a learning disability and complex physical care needs. It is a self-contained flat on the second floor of a building which is part of the Percy Hedley Foundation. People used Percy Hedley facilities on-site, including educational facilities, as well as the provider's nearby college. At the time of this visit there were six people using the service on a permanent basis and one person on a respite basis.

The service had been developed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support. The registered manager and new manager demonstrated a keen awareness of this and other best practice guidance, and ensured the service was in keeping with such guidance as was practicable given the setting of the service. They had reduced the maximum occupancy from ten to eight and converted bedrooms into a chill out room and a bathroom.

The principles of Registering the Right Support reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that was appropriate and inclusive for them. People were able to live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The service was geared towards helping younger adults develop independence alongside completing full time education courses.

The home was personalised and relaxed, with good communal and private spaces. It had been developed to meet people’s needs.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People interacted comfortably and in a trusting fashion with staff. Staff knew people’s needs well and helped keep people safe. Staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities and practicalities as they supported people at home and to their daytime activities.

The premises were well maintained and clean throughout.

Risk assessments were detailed and focussed on what people could do with support, rather than what they couldn’t do. People achieved good levels of independence and new experiences through this approach.

All relatives were confident in staff and their ability to keep people safe. Staffing levels were safe.

Meals were prepared and enjoyed communally. Staff helped people patiently and shared positive and jovial interactions where appropriate.

Staff worked well with a range of external healthcare professionals to ensure people’s needs were met and keep documentation up to date.

Staff received training regularly and to a high standard. They had been trained in a number of topics that enabled people to be more flexible with their time and activities. Staff were well supported through formal supervision and ad hoc support. Morale was high.

People's needs were comprehensively assessed and reviewed. Staff communicated clearly with people using detailed understanding of their needs and assistive technology.

Activities were flexible and planned based on people’s interests. There was a balance of group and individual activities.

Relatives and staff felt the service was well-managed, with a smooth transition from the registered manager to the new manager. The registered manager had moved into a regional oversight role so still liaised regularly with the new manager.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. The culture was in line with the provider’s ethos of providing younger adults with the skills to be more independent and to enjoy the experiences of living with their peers and a supportive, encouraging staff team.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 23 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.