The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Willowtree House

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

7 Poplar Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 4PL (01933) 222452

Provided and run by:
Delos Community Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

27 October 2015

During a routine inspection

The inspection took place on the 27 October 2015 and was unannounced.

Willowtree House provides accommodation and personal care for up to six people with a learning disability. It is part of Delos Community Limited which provides four other care homes within the local area. At the time of our visit six people were living at Willowtree House.

There was a registered manager 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.

People felt safe. Staff had an understanding of abuse and the safeguarding procedures that should be followed to report abuse and people had risk assessments in place to enable them to be as independent as possible. 

Effective recruitment processes were in place and followed by the service and there were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s care and support needs

Medicines were stored, handled and administered safely within the service.

Staff members had induction training when joining the service, as well as regular on going training.

Staff were well supported by the registered manager and had regular one to one supervisions and yearly appraisals.  

People’s consent was gained before any care was provided and the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were met.

People were able to choose the food and drink they wanted and staff supported people with this.

  People were supported to access health appointments when necessary, including doctors, dentists and speech therapists.  

Staff supported people in a caring manner. They knew the people they were supporting well and understood their requirements for care.

People were involved in their own care planning and were able to contribute to the way in which they were supported.

People’s privacy and dignity was maintained at all times.

People were supported to take part in a range of activities and social interests of their choice.

The service had a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to use it.

  Quality monitoring systems and processes were used effectively to drive future    improvement and identify where action was needed

20 November 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with two people who told us they were happy living at Willowtree House. One person told us they were happy living at Willowtree House and that the staff gave them the help and support needed. We saw that people living in the home were happy and relaxed and that they had a good relationship with staff. We spoke with two staff members who had a good knowledge of people's needs.

The provider may find it useful to note that although we saw details of best interest decisions we found there were no records showing how people's capacity to make the decisions had been assessed. The manager told us that the staff team had recently received training in The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and were in the process of documenting capacity assessments for people where required.

Staff told us that they had training in the administration of medication and had been assessed as competent before they were able to administer medication without supervision.

We saw that some of the quality checks carried out in the care homes within the Delos Community were undertaken by people who used the service. We looked at the check for Willowtree House that had been completed in October 2013 and found it included checks on the staff and the activities available to people.

5 December 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with two people who lived at Willowtree House . They were happy with their support. One person told us that she liked living at Willowtree House because 'people are very involved' in planning and making decisions about their care and support. She explained that she chaired an advocacy group which met quarterly to discuss the service provided by the Delos Community Limited. She told us that she had also received training in recruitment and been involved in recruiting new staff to work in the service.

We saw that staff had a good relationship with people living in the home and used different ways to communicate with people and ensure their needs were met.

Willowtree House was registered for Treatment of disease, disorder or injury as well as accommodation for persons who require personal care. As Willowtree House is a care home without nursing this regulated activity was not being provided. We discussed this with the nominated individual who stated they would apply to amend the registration. This inspection did not include treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

28 March 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with two people about the service. Both were happy with the support they received. One person described the staff as 'very helpful and friendly'. Both told us that there were enough staff working in the home and that they did not have to wait for assistance when they needed it.