Woodlands Care Home

Updated 23 July 2019

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

The inspection was conducted by an inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Woodlands Care Home 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

Before the inspection we looked at all the information we held about the service. This included the last inspection report and notifications received from the provider. We used the information the provider sent us in the 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 looked at public information available about the service, including the provider's own website.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people who lived at the service, six visiting relatives and friends and staff on duty who included, care workers, senior care workers, activity coordinators, the chef, the deputy manager and the registered manager. We also observed how people were being cared for and supported and witnessed a number of social activities.

We looked at the care records for five people who use the service and the staff recruitment, training and support records for five members of staff. We looked at other records used by the provider to manage the service, including audits, records of meetings, staff training plans, records of complaints, accidents and incidents and improvement plans. We inspected the environment and the equipment being used. We also looked at how medicines were being managed.

After the inspection

We spoke with the quality assurance manager from the local authority who carry out their own audits of the service. The provider sent us further evidence to consider which demonstrated some of the work they and the staff had undertaken.

Updated 23 July 2019

About the service

Woodlands Care Home is a residential home for up to 19 older people living with the experience of dementia. At the time of the inspection 18 people were using the service. The home is owned and managed by a private limited company. This is a family business and Woodlands Care Home is the only registered location for the provider. The provider owns a day centre, which is next to the care home. This is not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

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

People living at the service, and their visitors, were happy with the care they received. They spoke extremely positively about how caring the staff were, and we also witnessed kind and thoughtful interactions. People's needs were being met and they were able to make choices about how they spent their time. Where people were not able to make complex decisions, their relatives were involved in planning care, so this reflected their preferences. There was a wide range of different activities for people to participate in. The home had a lively atmosphere and the staff paid attention to people making sure they were comfortable, happy and had everything they needed.

People's dignity, equality and human rights were respected. Everyone was treated as an individual and able to express their choices. The provider had promoted LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) awareness at the service. They also ensured that the activities, food and structure of the day reflected people's cultural needs and identities.

The staff liked working at the service. They felt supported and had the training and information they needed. There were processes to make sure only suitable staff were recruited. Their competencies and knowledge were assessed, and they were giving a range of training and an induction to the service. There were regular team and individual staff meetings with the registered manager where they could discuss the service and their work.

The registered manager shared information about changes in national guidance, best practice and relevant legislation with staff and also other stakeholders. During team meetings, the staff discussed these areas and were able to ask for further training or to take a lead in champion specific areas within the service. The newsletter, which was shared with all stakeholders, gave clear and relevant information about different topics as well as news about the service. For example, a recent newsletter had included information about LGBT+ awareness, changes in regulations relating to data and information about Clinical Commissioning Groups and how these related to the service.

People's needs were recorded in clear and well-ordered care plans. These were regularly reviewed and updated. The staff recorded the care and support they gave to people each day, and this showed that care plans were followed. People were supported to be independent where they were able, and the staff had assessed any risks to their safety and wellbeing. They received their medicines on time and as prescribed. The staff liaised with other health care professionals to make sure people received the treatment and medical interventions they needed. The provider employed a chef who knew people's likes and dislikes and provided a choice of freshly prepared meals. The chef had undertaken specialist training regarding the risk of choking and food textures, so they made sure food and fluid textures were suitable for each person's needs. People were offered drinks throughout the day and could help themselves to drinks 24 hours a day from a 'juice bar' situated in the lounge.

The owner of the company was also the registered manager. They had managed the home since 2011 and previously worked there as part of the family business. They had a management qualification. They had a very good knowledge of individuals who lived and worked at the service. The staff told us they felt well supported by the registered manager. Some staff told us that the registered manager had shown exceptional support and understanding of their particular needs. People's visitors told us the management team were open and approachable. People knew how to make a complaint and felt these would be responded to appropriately. There were systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service, and these included asking stakeholders for their views. Information about the service, activities, menus, policies and procedures were displayed for the people who lived there and their relatives.

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.

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 29 April 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Woodlands Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.