Archived: Woodlands House

Updated 9 June 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This was a comprehensive inspection, which took place because we carry out comprehensive inspections of services rated ‘good’ at least once every two years. The inspection took place on 3 May 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. This is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included reports from previous inspections and statutory notifications submitted by the provider. Statutory notifications contain information providers are required to send us about significant events that take place within services.

During our inspection we spoke to 12 people who lived at the home. We also spoke to a visiting relative and a healthcare visitor. We spoke to the senior staff team which consisted of the home manager, deputy manager, the clinical services manager and the quality compliance manager. In addition we spoke to a registered nurse, a team leader, three senior care support workers and six care support workers. We also spoke to three senior managers and a GP employed by another service provider, who had overall responsibility for the provision of intermediate care at the service.

We looked at records which included six people’s care records, 10 medicines administration records (MARs), 12 staff files and other records relating to the management of the service. We undertook general observations throughout our visit and used the short observational framework for inspection (SOFI) during lunchtime. SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 9 June 2017

Woodlands House is a large care home which provides accommodation and personal care and/or nursing care for up to 64 older people. People using the service had a wide range of healthcare and medical needs, some of who are living with dementia. The home is able to accommodate up to 12 people who require intermediate care. Intermediate care is provided to people who need extra support for a short period of time to help them recover from illness or injury. The overall responsibility for the provision of intermediate care lies with another service provider. However staff at this service provide people with support with their personal care and nursing needs. At the time of this inspection there were 45 people using the service.

At the last Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in March 2015 the service was rated ‘good’ overall. However in the key question ‘Is it well led? we rated the service ‘requires improvement’. This is because we found a breach in legal requirements. The provider was not submitting notifications about significant events that took place at the service in a timely manner. We carried out a focussed inspection in June 2015 and found at that time the provider was meeting the legal requirement. We were able to improve their rating for the key question, ‘Is it well led?’ to ‘good’ because we saw evidence of consistent good practice in relation to the submission of notifications.

At this inspection we found the service remained ‘good’ overall. The service demonstrated they met the regulations and fundamental standards. However in the key question ‘Is it responsive?’ we rated the service ‘requires improvement’. This is because we found people may not be having all their social and physical needs met. People told us there was not enough to do to keep them active and engaged. Senior managers were already aware, prior to our inspection, that improvement was needed in the planning and organisation of activities and were taking steps to address this at the time of our inspection.

Although people said the provision of activities at the service needed to improve, they were generally satisfied with other aspects of the service. The provider maintained appropriate arrangements to deal with people’s complaints and concerns if they were dissatisfied with any aspect of the service.

People continued to be safe at Woodlands House. Staff knew how to protect people from the risk of abuse and followed appropriate guidance to minimise identified risks to people's health, safety and welfare.

Some people said at busy times the service appeared short staffed. However there were enough staff to keep people safe and the provider reviewed staffing levels monthly. The provider had arrangements in place to check the suitability and fitness of all staff. However senior staff were reviewing arrangements for carrying out criminal records checks on existing staff, after our inspection, to ensure they had full assurance about staff’s on-going suitability to work at the service.

People had a current support plan which reflected their choices and preferences for how their care and support needs should be met by staff. These were reviewed regularly by senior staff. Staff received relevant training and were well supported by senior staff to help them to meet people’s needs effectively.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to meet their needs. They also received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access healthcare services when needed. Medicines were managed safely and people received them as prescribed.

Staff were kind and treated people with dignity and respect. They ensured people’s privacy was maintained particularly when being supported with their personal care needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The environment was clean and clear of slip and trip hazards. The premises and equipment were regularly maintained and serviced to ensure these were safe.

Since our last inspection there had been a change in leadership at service and provider level. People and staff spoke positively about the new home manager and said they were open, approachable and supportive. Senior managers at provider level had oversight and scrutiny of the service and supported the home manager to ensure quality standards were met. Audits were used to identify areas of the service that needed to improve to ensure people experienced good quality safe care and support. The home manager took responsibility for ensuring these improvements were made.

Senior managers were working proactively with the service provider for intermediate care. Managers from both services acknowledged there had been challenges in ensuring people using this service received joined up, seamless care and support. However they were working together to address issues and improve standards so that people received the care and support they needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.