We carried out a review of the data available to us about Windebanks 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 Windebanks, you can give feedback on this service.
Windebanks is a supported living service providing personal care and support to five people living in five self-contained flats. There is an office which also serves as a room for staff who sleep-in at night. The service is registered to support people with autism and/or a learning disability.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There were enough staff to care for people safely and medicines were safely managed. People we spoke with told us they felt safe. Staff understood the importance of monitoring incidents and accidents and there were robust systems to safeguard people from abuse. Safe recruitment processes were being adhered to in order to make sure staff were suitable for their roles and responsibilities.
Cleaning and infection control procedures had been updated in line with COVID-19 guidance to help protect people, visitors and staff from the risk of infection. Government guidance about COVID-19 testing for people, staff and visitors was being followed.
Risks to people's health, safety and welfare were identified and supported. Staff ensured people's needs were consistently met and assessed to enable improvements and progress in their lives. Staff received a comprehensive induction and ongoing training to enable them to support people safely. There were effective systems for communication both at the service, and with other agencies to ensure people received the care they needed.
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.
People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs. When required staff supported people to access a range of healthcare professionals. The service worked with specialist learning disability teams to provide effective joined up care. Quality assurance processes were robust and provided oversight of the service.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right support:
• Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and Independence. People were supported to live as independently as possible at a service which encouraged and inspired people to live full lives. Staff supported people to make choices and to remain connected with their family, friends and the local community.
Right care:
• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People’s flats were respected by staff as their homes. People were supported to lead full and active lives and to take part in activities that were meaningful to them. Staff knew people well and we observed people treated with kindness, respect, and involved them in making decisions.
Right culture:
• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. Staff described a positive culture where learning was encouraged. Positive risk taking was designed into the culture of the service. For example, people’s behaviours had been explored to see what they were communicating to maximise their independence, like going out into their community on their own. One-to-one staffing levels meant they could quickly respond to crisis situations and least restrictive practices were used to avoid the need to use restraint.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This service was registered with us on 25 November 2019 and this is the first inspection. Previously this was one of many supported living sites the provider had registered under one supported living location. The provider has now registered each site as a separate location.
Why we inspected
This was the first planned inspection for this service.
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.