During an assessment under our new approach
About the service
Summer Wood Residential Care Home is a care home. The service providesaccommodation and personal care for up to 4 people living with a learning disability. It is a converted building and accommodated 3 people at the time of this assessment.
Who the service is for
This is a specialist service for people with a learning disability. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment on 2 and 9 July 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
A small team of safely recruited staff worked closely with the provider to support people. Staff completed a range of training to provide them with the skills and knowledge to provide tailored and effective support. This included training on supporting people with a learning disability. The provider provided ongoing training on site including an induction for new staff. Staff were positive about the training provided and told us the staffing arrangements were suitable and safe, and this included working on their own at night and some evenings. They said, “There are enough staff and I am fine working on my own, the manager is always available. There is a lot of useful training online and we are offered health and social care training.”
Medicines were handled safely and people received their prescribed medicines at the correct times. Staff competencies were assessed and practice seen was safe. Medicines were stored in a locked cupboard and the provider confirmed that the temperature of this area would be monitored in the future to ensure medicines were stored at a safe temperature.
Staff were confident on how to react to any accident or incident. They understood how to recognise any safeguarding issue and how to respond and report them. Risks to safety and health were assessed and responded to. People were not restricted and were supported to take risks. For example, People were able to use the stairs, and use knifes in the kitchen with the support of care staff. A staff member told us, “We know there are environmental risks for people we always guide them on the stairs.”
The environment at Summer Wood Care Home was very homely and well maintained. However, we noted systems in place did not fully support the provision of a safe environment. For example, the findings of a fire risk assessment had not been fully addressed and ways to ensure the provision of safe water for bathing had not been fully established. These concerns were identified to the provider who addressed them immediately.
Before coming to live at the service people were able to spend time in the service with staff and people as part of the assessment process. This ensured suitability for them and people already living at the service. The provider said, “It is vital that any new person spends time with us all and everyone here is involved to make sure they all get along.”People’s health and emotional needs were assessed and responded to. Supporting people to receive appropriate care and treatment. For example, people attended the dentist regularly and were supported to promote oral hygiene with additional recommended treatments.
The provider ensured people had maximum choice and control over their lives and said everyone had capacity to make choices for themselves given enough time. People were at the centre of any decisions and involved in planning any support wanted and needed. This ensured they received personalised care in line with their preferences and diverse needs. For example, long discussions took place around meal planning that took account of differing needs including specific diets and preferences. A staff member said, “They have a good choice with meals and love having their say in what they have and do.”
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. Staff and management worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice control and freedom over their lives.
People were supported by kind and compassionate staff. Staff were seen to be friendly and genuinely interested in people and enjoying spending time with them. A staff member said, “We are like a family here to me. We are all happy to chat and joke, we are all close.”People’s independence and dignity was promoted by staff. For example, staff reminded people to visit the toilet in a sensitive and discreet way. People were supported in an individual way. Staff knew people very well and worked hard to support them in the way that they wanted and maintained their individuality and autonomy. People’s individual needs and preferences were accommodated. This included supporting people to buy their own toiletries when shopping that they wanted to use. People were encouraged to share their views. The provider said, “They have plenty of choices that are listened to, they love it when they are empowered to make choices. They say, “I chose that and that was my choice”.
The staff encouraged and supported people to go on regular trips out for entertainment and socialising providing suitable transport and accessibility. Health appointments for health and screening were also accessed. The provider ensured people did not face any limitations.
The provider’s vision was shared with staff. This started at staff induction and continued on a weekly basis. They had a clear focus on person centred care, choice, independence and inclusion. They wanted people to have a family life within a safe environment. The provider lived locally and spent much of their time in the service. They were well respected and readily available and approachable to both staff and people. Staff said, “The manager is always available and there to help.”The provider had updated the information technology in the service and was aware that improvements to the environment as people aged would need to be progressed. They were open and honest throughout the assessment process responding to any shortfall quickly and effectively.