The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Villcare Limited - Stanley Road

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

5 Stanley Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 2QU (01923) 241465

Provided and run by:
Villcare Limited

All Inspections

20 February 2018

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 20 and 23 February 2018 and was unannounced. When we last inspected the service in October 2015 we found that the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the service received an overall, rating of Good. However at this inspection we found the service was not meeting all the required regulations. Poor Infection control practices placed people at risk of contamination and at risk of cross infection. We found that the staffing levels provided were not always adequate in ensuring people’s safety at all times and the poorly maintained environment failed to provide a homely and comfortable place in which people lived.

Villcare – Stanley Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Villcare – Stanley Road–accommodates four people who have a learning disability. The service is not registered to provide nursing care. At the time of this inspection there were two people living at the home.

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.

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.

There was a quality assurance system in place. However, these systems had failed to identify issues found as part of this inspection and placed people at risk of harm.

We found that records were not always written in a positive or respectful way and records relating to consent required updating.

People’s relatives told us that they were confident that people were safe living at Stanley Road.

Risks to people were appropriately assessed, planned for and managed.

Staff had received training, support and development to enable them to carry out their role effectively. The service is required to update records in relation to meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs).People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People received appropriate support to maintain healthy nutrition and hydration.

People were treated with kindness by staff who respected their privacy and upheld their dignity. People’s relatives were encouraged to be involved with people’s lives where appropriate, to provide feedback on the service and their views were acted upon.

People received personalised care that met their individual needs. People were given appropriate support and encouragement to access meaningful activities and follow their individual interests.

People’s relatives told us they knew how to complain but had not had occasion to do so. They said they were confident they would be listened to if they wished to make a complaint.

We found that records were not always written in a positive or respectful way and records relating to consent required updating.

The registered manager had created an open and inclusive atmosphere within the service. People’s relatives, staff and external health professionals were invited to contribute their views in relation to further developing the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

22 October 2015

During a routine inspection

Villcare Limited- Stanley Road is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to four people who are living with a learning disability or who have an autistic spectrum disorder. There were 3 people living at the service on the day of our inspection. 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.

When we last inspected the service on 7 October 2013 we found them to be meeting the required standards. At this inspection we found that they had continued to meet the standards.

People told us that they felt confident that people were safe and secure when receiving care. Staff were knowledgeable in recognising signs of potential abuse and understood how to report concerns both within the organisation and to outside agencies. Assessments were undertaken to assess any risks to people who received a service and to the staff who supported them. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s individual support and care needs at all times, including during the night and at weekends. People received appropriate support from staff to enable them to take their medicines.People received care and support that was based on their individual needs and preferences and people’s care and support plans were amended as necessary and in consultation with their relatives or their representatives to meet their changing needs. Relatives of people who used the service felt confident raise any concerns and were in no doubt that they would be managed appropriately. People received their care and support from a staff team that fully understood people’s care needs and the skills and knowledge to meet them. People who used the service were treated with kindness and respect, and their privacy and dignity was maintained.

The three people who lived at the home were unable to communicate verbally but we observed staff supported people with a range of communication aids, which included signing and interpreting people’s body language with regards to meeting their needs and wishes.

Staff were supported by the registered manager and received the training and supervision necessary to support them to provide safe and effective support for people. People’s views about the service were generally gathered informally through daily contact with the people and observing their body language and the choices made. This ensured that the provider and registered manager could assure themselves that the service they provided was safe and was meeting people’s needs.

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 had submitted DoLS applications which were pending an outcome.

7 October 2013

During a routine inspection

On the day of inspection there were four people in residence at the home. The accommodation was appropriately designed and suitable to meet the needs of the people living there.

We spent time with the people who lived at the home. Due to their communication needs we were unable to hear verbal feedback. The manager told us that all of the people had been on holiday to Spain with the staff a few weeks prior to the inspection, having been supported to choose the destination by staff. The people gave us big smiles when we spoke of this recent holiday, indicating they had really enjoyed it and would like to go on holiday again one day.

Support plans and risk assessments were informative, up to date and staff were aware of their contents. Systems for receipt, storage, administration, recording and disposal of medicines were safe. Staff recruitment, induction and training systems were robust. Systems for ensuring the quality of the service and promoting continuous improvement within the service were easily identifiable and worked upon regularly by the manager and the provider. This showed that people were well cared for by a staff group who were able and willing to learn, progress with their careers and who sought to improve the service.

2 May 2012

During a routine inspection

We were able to talk with the three residents living at 5 Stanley Road when we visited on 2 May 2012. They told us they like living there because they were close to the shops. They enjoyed going out and participating in some activities both within the home and away from the home.

14 July 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

During our visit we met all the people who currently live at Stanley Road. We spent time with them during the afternoon and early evening, as they returned home from the individual activities they have been involved in and had their evening meal. Not every one is able to tell us directly how they feel about the service they are provided with but our visit enabled us to observe how people interacted with staff and followed their own routines.

Plans are currently being made for people to go on holiday. As we arrived one person was at home and their first response was to show us the brochure of where they were hoping to go on holiday. People had been involved in planning their holidays and had been able to say which member of staff they would like to go with them.

People were able to tell us they were happy living at Stanley Road. We heard people asking for particular staff during the day when they knew they were due to start work. This tells us people know the staff who are supporting them and look forward to seeing them.

We observed that people had positive contact with the staff who support them and felt comfortable to touch hands, link arms or lean their head against someone's arm when they were together.

People were happy to let us see their bedrooms and indicated they were happy with the arrangements.

One person was able to tell us that staff respected their privacy and they were happy to speak with the manager if there was anything they wanted.

4 January 2011

During a routine inspection

Not all the people who live at Stanley Road are able to express their views on the areas we were looking at therefore we have also included our own observations and discussions with staff.

We observed that the house was warm and staff were able to tell us that the heating is kept on over night and they are able to adjust it.

One person who lives at Stanley Road was able to tell us the food is good and staff make arrangements so their meal fits in with what they are doing for the day. The staff were able to tell us what people liked to eat and we saw that new pictorial menus had been introduced to get people more involved in making choices.

We have been told about plans to have the menus nutritionally assessed to make sure people are eating a suitable diet. Although staff are able to tell us how they provide individual diets, to respond to advice from the person's general practitioner or dentist, the care plans do not have detailed information about the assessments carried out and people's individual preferences. We were able to see that staff are working with the health and social care professionals for each person living at Stanley Road to make sure their care plans accurately reflect their needs.

One the day of our visit people were relaxed in the presence of staff who were supporting them. One person was able to confirm that the staff team are good and they get on well with recently employed staff. They particularly liked being able to invite a friend to a Christmas party and said they were made to feel very welcome.