Archived: White Horse Care Trust - 92 Wilcot Road

92 Wilcot Avenue is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to three adults with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were two people living in the home. The service is one of many, run by the White Horse Care Trust, within Wiltshire and Swindon.

At the last inspection in April 2015, the service was rated as ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service had remained ‘Good’.

A registered manager was employed by the service but was not present during our inspection. Our inspection was supported by the deputy manager who has responsibility for the day to day running of the service. 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 received care and support from staff who were kind and attentive. Both people said they liked staff. Any requests for support were responded to promptly. People looked relaxed and comfortable in the presence of staff.

Care plans were personalised and contained information on people’s likes, dislikes and preferences. Care plans were reviewed regularly and updated when changes to people’s care and support was required.

Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and plans were in place to minimise these risks. Staff had the knowledge to identify safeguarding concerns and knew their responsibilities for reporting any concerns.

People were supported to have choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People had access to a range of activities which supported their hobbies and interests.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts. Staff supported people to plan their weekly menu and shop for the necessary food items. Staff told us whilst there was a menu plan in place, alternative meals could be sourced should people not want the option available.

Information on complaints was in an accessible format and discussed with people each month. The service held monthly meetings for people to share their views about the care and support they received.

Medicines were stored and managed safely. However where people required ‘as necessary’ medicines, the protocols for these were not personal. People were supported to access appropriate health and social care professionals to maintain their emotional and physical well-being.

Sufficient numbers of staff were deployed to meet people’s needs. The service followed safe recruitment practices. People were supported by staff who access to a range of training to ensure they had the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs.

Staff we spoke with said they felt supported and were positive about working within the service.

Whilst some audits were in place to monitor the quality of service and identify improvements, monthly manager reports had not been completed since December 2016. There were no records available to evidence senior management had undertaken any audits of the service. The area care manager was in the process of addressing this by completing a whole home audit.

People were encouraged to make decisions and be fully involved in the day to day activities of the home.

Staff supported people to participate in varied social activities in relation to their individual needs and preferences.

There was an emphasis on people receiving healthy, balanced meals of their choice.

The home was homely, clean and safe. Systems were in place to minimise the risk of infection.

A range of audits were in place to regularly monitor and assess the quality of service provision.

We saw that people's rights to privacy, dignity and independence were respected. People were supported to make decisions and were involved in completing a range of household tasks. People received support in a way which maximised their independence. They had access to a range of health care provision. People's support was regularly reviewed and care documentation was updated accordingly. Staff were fully aware of their responsibilities to recognise and report any suspicion or allegation of abuse. Staff felt assured that allegations would be taken seriously and addressed appropriately. People were supported by a stable staff team who had a wealth of experience in working with people with a learning disability. Staff were well supported in their role and had a range of training opportunities to equip them with the skills and knowledge to do their job effectively. People, their families and health professionals were encouraged to give their views about the service to enhance development. There were established systems in place to monitor the quality of the service people received.