We carried out a review of the data available to us about Wallfield on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Wallfield, you can give feedback on this service.
Wallfield is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The provider, Tricuro Ltd, is owned by the local authorities for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole. Wallfield was previously run by Bournemouth Borough Council.
Wallfield accommodates up to 14 people in individual bedrooms on the ground and first floors of an adapted building. The two floors are connected by stairs and a passenger lift. There were 13 people there at the time of our inspection.
Wallfield was registered prior to the publication of Registering the Right Support. It reflects the values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance, except that it is larger than this guidance recommends. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
The registered manager had worked at the service for a number of years. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.’
The service had a friendly, homely feel. People were treated with kindness, respect and compassion, and their privacy and dignity was upheld. People knew and felt comfortable with staff.
People felt safe and were protected from neglect and abuse. Risks were assessed and people were supported to stay safe with the least possible restriction on their freedom. There were pre-employment checks to ensure candidates were suitable to work in a care setting.
People’s physical, mental health and social needs were assessed holistically, and care and support was planned and delivered in a personalised way to meet those needs. People, and where appropriate their families, were involved in decisions about their care and support. People who were able to speak told us they were happy with their care and support. The registered manager and staff kept abreast of good practice through attending training and discussing developments in good practice at team meetings and during supervision. Staff had training in equality, diversity and human rights to help them challenge and avoid discrimination.
People's rights were protected because the staff acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People and their relatives were encouraged to be involved in decisions about care.
Relatives and friends could visit when they wished without notice.
There were links with the local community.
People had ample access to meaningful activities and were encouraged to follow interests and hobbies.
People made choices about what they ate and drank. Mealtimes were relaxed and sociable occasions, with people receiving the support they needed to eat and drink at their own pace. Dietary needs were clearly accounted for in people’s support plans and referrals pursued to dieticians or speech and language therapists as appropriate.
People were supported to manage their health and had access to healthcare services as they needed. They each had a ‘health passport’ to provide to hospital staff in the event they needed treatment there.
There were sufficient appropriately trained staff on duty to support people in a person-centred way. There had recently been a recruitment freeze, but the service was now recruiting support workers again. The service used regular agency staff, whom people knew, to fill any gaps in the rota.
Staff were supported through training, supervision and appraisal to perform their roles effectively.
Staff were valued, respected and supported. Their voices were heard and acted upon to develop the service, through supervision, team meetings and ad hoc conversations with the management team. The service was open to the concerns of staff, whether through whistleblowing, supervision and staff meetings, or staff surveys.
Accidents, incidents or near misses were recorded and monitored for developing trends.
The premises were clean and well maintained. Individual bedrooms were furnished and decorated according to people’s preferences.
People were protected from the spread of infection.
Medicines were stored securely and managed safely. We have made a recommendation in relation to handwritten medicines administration records.
The service sought to support people to have a comfortable and dignified death when the time came. The service was working towards accreditation with a nationally recognised scheme that promotes a high standard of end of life care. The manager and staff sought to establish end of life preferences in a sensitive way with people and their families.
Clear information about how to make a complaint was available for people. Complaints were taken seriously and investigated openly and thoroughly.
Care records had been transferred to a computer system. Each staff member had password access to the system and left an electronic footprint whenever they looked at someone’s records. The service had audited its data protection procedures earlier in the year, in view of imminent changes to the data protection legislation.
The service worked in partnership with health and social care professionals and other organisations, to ensure people’s care needs were met and that staff kept up with good practice in supporting people with a learning disability.
The provider had quality assurance processes in place, which helped to maintain standards and drive improvement.
Wallfield has been registered with a new registered provider Tricuro Ltd since July 2015. The service was previously registered with Bournemouth Borough Council. Wallfield has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Observations showed staff and residents were relaxed and friendly with one another. Staff were unhurried in their support and took time to listen and spend quality time with people. One person who lived at the service told us the home had, “A good atmosphere”. We received a range of comments from staff which included, “It’s really homey and relaxed, the place has warmth and laughter”, “It’s a family” and, “It’s a lovely home, the residents all seem to be happy”.
People’s needs were assessed including areas of risk to ensure their safety. Staff supported people in accordance with their wishes, protecting people’s privacy and maintaining their dignity.
Staff were well trained to make sure they understood how best to support or help people. Staff told us they were well supported and found supervision and appraisals helped them to understand their role.
The service was well led with a clear management structure in place. There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided and staff told us they felt people received a high quality of service.