Wimbledon Common Care Home

Updated 2 August 2023

The inspection

We conducted 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

Wimbledon Common Care Home is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post, but as of June 2023 they now split their time between two of the providers care homes in the area, managing both part-time. The services former deputy manager was appointed the new permanent manager in June 2023, and they have submitted an application to be registered with us.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was conducted over two-days and the first day was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We sought feedback from partner agencies and various community health and social care professionals including, a GP, district nurses and a physiotherapist. We reviewed all the information we held about the provider including, notifications we had received from the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke in-person with 10 people who lived at the care home, and 3 visiting relatives and a district nurse. In addition, we met various people who worked at the care home including, the new acting manager, the services part-time registered manager, a visiting regional quality auditor, the dementia community manager, the residential communities manager, the estates manager, 8 care workers, including 2 senior’s, the activities coordinator, the head chef, and the services head of maintenance. We also received feedback about the service from 11 relatives we telephoned.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Records looked at as part of this inspection included 8 people’s electronic care plans and multiple staff files in relation to their recruitment, training and supervision, and various electronic medicines records. A variety of other records relating to the overall management and governance of the service, including policies and procedures, were also read.

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We requested the provider send us additional evidence after our inspection in relation to staff training and the outcome of a recent internal audit.

Updated 2 August 2023

Wimbledon Common Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 79 people accommodated across 3 separate communities, each of which has their own adapted facilities. The first floor community specialises in providing care and support to people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 62 older people residing at the care home.

People’s experience of using this service

People living in the care home, their relatives and community health and social care professionals spoke positively about the standard of care and support provided at the service. A relative told us, “The friendly staff understand my [family members] needs and wishes. They [staff] work really hard to give people good quality care here.” A community care professional added, “The staff have proved themselves to be very safe at delivering good standards of care and support to my clients.”

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.

The service was adequately staffed by people whose suitability and fitness to work at the care home had been thoroughly assessed. People were kept safe and were confident any concerns they raised would be listened to. Staff understood how to safeguard people. People were cared for and supported by staff who knew how to manage risks they might face. The premises were kept hygienically clean and staff followed current best practice guidelines regarding the prevention and control of infection including, those associated with COVID-19. Medicines systems were well-organised, and people received their prescribed medicines as and when they should.

Staff had the right levels of training, support and experience to deliver effective care and meet the needs of people living at the care home. People had access to a wide variety of food and drink that met their dietary needs and wishes. People were helped to stay healthy and well. People lived in a suitably adapted and comfortable care home that had been decorated and furnished to a good standard.

People were treated equally and with compassion, and had their human rights and diversity respected. Staff treated people with respect and dignity and upheld their right to privacy. People were encouraged and supported to maintain their independence. People were encouraged to make decisions about the care and support they received and had their choices respected.

People had electronic care plans in place that were up to date, detailed, and person-centred. This enabled staff to understand and meet their needs and expressed wishes and preferences. Staff ensured they communicated and shared information with people in a way they could easily understand. People were supported to participate in meaningful recreational and leisure activities that reflected their social interests. People's concerns and complaints were well-managed, and the provider recognised the importance of learning lessons when things went wrong. People were supported to maintain relationships with people who were important to them. Plans were in place to help people nearing the end of their life receive compassionate palliative care in accordance with their needs and expressed wishes.

People living at the care home, their relatives and staff working there were all complimentary about the way the service was managed, and how approachable the staff in-charge all were. The provider promoted an open and inclusive culture which sought the views of people living at the care home, their relatives, community health and social care professionals and staff working there. The provider worked in close partnership with various community health and social care professionals and agencies to plan and deliver people's packages of care and support.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

This service was registered with us on 1 June 2023 and this is their first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 18 December 2019.

The provider is ‘duel registered’ with us, which means Wimbledon Common Care Home is owned and managed by two different providers known as Willowbrook Healthcare Limited and Redwood Tower UK Opco 1 Limited. Hence the CQC has produced 2 separate inspection reports for this one location.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect. If we receive any concerning information, we may inspect sooner.