Westbridge House Rehabilitation Unit

Westbridge House Rehabilitation Unit is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 25 people. The home provides care for those with needs relating to their mental health and misuse of drugs and alcohol. At the time of inspection there were 22 people living at the service.

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

People living at Westbridge rehabilitation unit were happy and well supported. The home provided a safe place for people to live and enjoy their lives. Risks to people were assessed and managed appropriately to promote independence. There were suitable numbers of appropriately recruited staff. People were supported to self-medicate when possible and appropriate systems were in place to manage medicines safely.

Staff were well trained and received suitable support. 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’s diverse needs were assessed and respected.

Staff were kind and caring and promoted positive relationships with people within the environment. Staff understood their roles clearly and knew what was expected of them. The service had a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere with people enjoying the way staff provided them with care and support. Relatives spoke positively about the service.

People and their relatives told us they were able to spend time in a way they chose to. Staff understood the importance of supporting people to be socially included and prevented them from social isolation. Complaints were responded to in line with company policy. People were encouraged to express their feelings and were supported with bereavement.

The service was focused on people’s wellbeing and having a sense of purpose. The registered manager promoted the visions and values of the service by embedding an open and honest culture. Staff felt supported in their role and had formed good working relationships. Quality assurance systems in place, monitored the service effectively and drove improvements when they were needed.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection this service was rated Good, (published 08 February 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.

This unannounced inspection took place on 12 January 2017. The last inspection of the service took place in July 2014. The service was rated as good overall and was compliant with all of the regulations we assessed at that time.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

People who used the service were protected from abuse and avoidable harm by staff who had been trained to recognise the signs of potential abuse and knew what action to take if they suspected abuse had occurred. Accidents and incidents were investigated as required and known risks were recorded and mitigated when possible. Staff had been recruited safely and relevant checks were completed before they commenced working within the service. People were supported to self-medicate when possible and appropriate systems were in place to order, store and administer medicines safely.

People were supported by staff who had the skills and experience to carry out their roles effectively. Staff received effective levels of support, supervision and mentorship. People who used the service were supported to make their own decisions about aspects of their daily lives. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were followed when there were concerns people lacked capacity and important decisions needed to be made. People were encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet. People’s holistic healthcare needs were met by a range of healthcare professionals.

People’s needs were met by caring, patient and considerate staff. The staff team had worked within the service for a number of years which meant they knew people well and had built a trusting and supportive relationship with the people who used the service. People were treated with dignity and respect by staff and encouraged to express their views. Staff supported people to set and achieve goals which enhanced their independence.

People were provided with an outstanding range of activities and were encouraged to undertake meaningful occupations. The registered manager developed an activity calendar for each month of the year that celebrated different events. People were consistently asked about the activities that were offered and given the opportunities to suggest anything that they wanted to do. The registered manager told us they believed keeping people stimulated had a positive effect on their general and mental health. We noted that the atmosphere within the service was calm and relaxed. People who used the service happily spent time in each other’s company.

People were involved with the initial and on-going planning of their care. Their levels of independence and individual strengths and abilities were recorded. People were encouraged to maintain relationships with important people in their lives and to follow their hobbies and interests. The registered provider had a complaints policy which was displayed within the service. We saw that very few complaints had been received since the service became registered with the CQC.

People who used the service and staff contributed to the development and management of the service. Meetings were held regularly and people’s comments were listened to and implemented to improve the service when possible. A quality assurance system was in place that consisted of audits, checks and feedback from people who used the service. When shortfalls were identified action was taken to improve the level of service. The registered manager understood their responsibilities to inform the CQC when specific incidents occurred within the service.

Information was available for staff to follow to ensure people's needs were met. This information was held securely and updated regularly.

People were provided with a varied and nutritional diet. Comments included, 'The food is great', 'There is always plenty of choice' and 'I really enjoy my meals.'

The provider had recruitment policies and procedures in place which ensured people were not exposed to staff who should not be working with vulnerable people. People who used the service were involved in the recruitment and selection of prospective employees.

People could make complaints and these would be listened to and acted upon. People told us, 'I would go the manager, she's really good and will sort it out', 'I would see the manager' and 'We are asked at the residents meetings if we have any complaints and these are looked into.'

We saw that staff involved people in meaningful activities throughout the day and there was a very lively and happy atmosphere within the home. One person told us 'There is plenty going on and I get out regularly.'

We found appropriate arrangements were in place in relation to obtaining and disposal of medicines, and administration and the recording of medicine. People we spoke with told us that they received their medicines when they needed them.

We found that staff received appropriate training and support. People who used the service told us they liked the staff and they said their needs were met. They told us 'I am well looked after" and 'The staff are very nice.'

People told us they were consulted about events in the home. We also found the views of people who used the service were sought through regular meetings and questionnaires.