Archived: Woodside Residential Home

At our last inspection on 2 February 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection on 12 September 2018 we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People felt safe and staff knew how to mitigate risks to people’s health and wellbeing. Medicines were managed safely and infection control practice adhered to. Safety checks and fire drills were completed appropriately.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of trained staff who felt supported and had been recruited safely.

People said that staff were kind and respected their privacy and dignity. People were able to make their own choices and were supported to live independent lives. People enjoyed their food and were able to participate in cooking when they wished. There was regular access to health and social care professionals.

People received care and support that they needed in a way they liked. Care plans were written with people and in some instances by people themselves. People decided what activities they wanted to enjoy and some people were working in local charity shops. There had been no recent complaints but people knew how to raise concerns and any grumbles had been resolved promptly.

People and staff were positive about the registered manager and how the service was run. There were quality assurance processes in place to help maintain standards in the service.

Woodside Residential Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to three people with mental health issues or learning difficulties. There were three people living at the service on the day of our inspection.

At their last inspection on 17 January 2014, they were found to be meeting the standards we inspected. At this inspection we found that they had continued to meet the standards.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. However, in this instance, the registered manager was also the provider.

The Mental Capacity Act (2005) provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack mental capacity to do so for themselves. The Act requires that as far as possible people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. Where they lack mental capacity to take particular decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment when this is in their best interests and legally authorised under the MCA. The application procedures for this in care homes and hospitals are called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). We checked whether the service was working in line with the principles of the MCA and whether any conditions on authorisations to deprive a person of their liberty were being met. We found that the service was working in accordance with MCA and no one living at the home currently required a DoLS application.

People received the care and support they needed to live full and independent lives. Staff respected their ability to make their own decisions and choices and supported people with this. People were involved in planning and reviewing their care and care plans included detailed information to enable staff to support them appropriately.

People felt safe living at the service and staff knew how to help keep people safe. Risk assessments were developed but enabled people to have the freedom and independence they wanted. Medicines were managed safely and people had access to health and social care professionals as they needed it.

People enjoyed a variety of foods and were involved in the preparation and planning of meals. People planned their own activities and decided how they spent their time with support from staff. Their feedback was sought and acted upon as needed.

There was strong leadership in the home and people knew the manager well. There were systems in place to help ensure the smooth and safe running of the service.

People we spoke with were very happy with the care and support they received and told us that staff were friendly and helpful. One person told us: 'I really like living here, the staff are nice'. Another person told us: 'I feel safe'.

People were actively included in discussions, helped to make choices about what to do and supported to maintain their independence.

Staff supported people to access a range of health care services, including health screening. Procedures were in place to ensure that they received their medication safely.

Staff we spoke with told us that they enjoyed their job and felt well supported to provide care and support.

People had the opportunity to express their views about how the service was delivered.

Overall we found that standards were being met.