During our visit on 07 July 2011 we spoke with all of the people living at the Woodlands Unit. They were consistently positive about their experience at St Luke's Hospital and some were able to compare it favourably with other placements that they had experienced.Some people told us that they had good access to an independent advocate to support them with decision making.
People told us that the food was 'OK' and that they had sufficient choice. When we asked about the arrangements for food and drink they all told us that they did not have free access to snacks and drinks and that snacks and meals were only offered at set times.
During our visit we discussed with people their use of the internet. They all told us that they were unhappy about the fact that they had no unsupervised access to the internet at that time.
All of the people with whom we spoke told us that they enjoyed frequent activities, such as swimming, fishing, visiting local attractions, going out for a drive, using the trampoline and the hot tub. People with whom we spoke told us that none of the people on Woodlands Unit held a key to their bedroom. They said that all bedrooms that were occupied were kept unlocked and people and staff had free access to their rooms at anytime.
Another person told us that 'I have everything I need'. This person was moving to another placement shortly and was looking forward to it. They said that they had been 'well looked after'. They showed us a transition workbook that they had been completing with the support of staff in preparation for the move.
People with whom we spoke during our visit told us that they felt safe living at St Luke's Hospital. They made comments such as 'The staff are OK' and one person told us that they were 'well looked after'. They also told us that they felt able to raise any concerns they may have. One person said that they felt safer with the closed circuit television in the unit.
During our visit on 07 July 2011 all of the people with whom we spoke were complimentary about the staff and told us about the positive relationships they maintain. Comments included 'The staff are OK'; 'They are good' and 'They look after us.' Throughout our visit we observed positive interactions between staff and people living at the hospital.