This inspection took place on 11 February 2016. Willow Bay is registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to five people who have a learning disability. There were five people living at the service on the day of our inspection.
A registered manager was in post. 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.
Staff were knowledgeable about identifying abuse and how to report it to safeguard people. Risk management plans were in place to support people to have as much independence as possible while keeping them safe. There were processes in place to manage any risks in relation to the running of the service.
Medicines were safely stored, recorded and administered in line with current guidance to ensure people received their prescribed medicines to meet their needs. People had support to access healthcare professionals and services. People were supported to eat well and were encouraged
to choose healthier food options to maintain their health and well-being.
There were sufficient, skilled staff to support people at all times and there were robust recruitment processes in place. Staff were caring and respected people’s privacy and dignity. People were supported to participate in social activities including community based outings.
Staff felt well trained and supported and used their training effectively to support people. The manager understood and complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Staff were aware of their role in relation to MCA and DoLS and how to support people so not to place them at risk of being deprived of their liberty.
People received personalised care and staff knew them well. Relationships between people, relatives and staff were positive. Staff were caring and responsive. Care plans were clear, provided staff with guidance and were reviewed regularly. People and their relatives were involved in planning and reviewing their care. People were supported to express any concerns and information about making complaints was available in easy read format.
The service was well led; people knew the manager and found them to be approachable and available in the home. People l and staff in the service had the opportunity to say how they felt about the home and the service it provided. Their views were listened to and actions were taken in response. The provider and manager had systems in place to check on the quality and safety of the service provided.