- Care home
Woodbury Short Stay
Assessment report published 30 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
The service provides short-term respite stays accommodating up to 4 people at any one time. There were 3 people using the service at the time of our inspection.
Who the service is for
This was a specialist service for people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health needs. Rooms were designed with people's specific needs in mind. For example, one room was equipped with a ceiling track hoist. People's needs were considered when booking requests were made. There was also a shared communal lounge, kitchen and dining room.
In addition, a sensory room was under development. Consideration was being given to how people would like to use the space and the sensory equipment they would value. At the time of our inspection, the room was well decorated, had a cosy feel and served as a quiet space for people to enjoy during their stay.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment between 03 September and 07 September 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remained accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continued to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on areas where the service needed to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
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 forms part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how DoLS were managed within the service. We found staff and management worked in accordance with the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and monitored. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions and had choice, control and freedom over their lives. At the time of our inspection, managers and senior leaders were also undertaking newly developed training sessions in response to anticipated changes to DoLS legislation.
We assessed the service against the ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider ensured autistic people and people with a learning disability experienced respect, equality, dignity, choice, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Right Support
There were effective systems in place to safeguard people. Service managers and senior leaders had received Level 2 safeguarding training; however, best practice would be for them to receive Level 3 safeguarding training. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them safely. The environment was accessible, and regular maintenance checks were completed to ensure it remained safe, clean and tidy. Medicines were managed safely, with regular audits and competency checks taking place. Staff had also received specific training to ensure they knew how to administer specialist medicines. Prior to admission, relevant health information was requested from a persons’ GP. Where additional specialist input was required from speech and language therapists or dietitians, this information was also sought by the provider before admission. This demonstrated their ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and to consider people's care needs holistically.
Right Care
Staff always contacted people's families or carers to gather relevant information about people’s emotional wellbeing. This enabled people and their families to contribute to care planning and risk assessments; it also ensured people were supported in a person-centred way and were able to maintain choice, control and their usual daily routines. Activities were planned in line with people's preferences, and people chose how they spent their time during their short break. They were also regularly supported to access the community. Staff respected people's privacy and dignity. We observed staff knocking on people's doors before entering their rooms. People were also supported to maintain good standards of personal hygiene and were well presented.
Right Culture
There was an open and transparent culture within the management team, with a clear focus on providing good-quality care. Staff described a positive and open culture where they felt supported and able to raise concerns or make suggestions. The provider had effective quality assurance and governance arrangements in place, ensuring consistent oversight and high standards of care. Concerns and complaints were managed appropriately, and regular feedback was sought from people and their families following their stay. People remained at the centre of the service, and improvements were driven by their experiences and feedback.
People's experience of this service
We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand people's experiences. During the observation, we saw a fun and engaging atmosphere had been created during an activity chosen by people. Relatives and carers also commented on the inclusive nature of the service. A relative reported, "[Person] is always included, even though [person] has a learning disability and cannot verbally communicate".
All people we spoke with stated they would recommend the service. One relative commented, "I can't fault the care [person] has; they [staff] are brilliant with [person]". Another relative said, "I totally trust them [staff]". People and families commented on the kindness of the care staff, with one person stating, "I am happy with them, they are nice people. I have no complaints. Always polite".
All relatives and carers reported staff took the time to get to know their loved ones and involved people and their families in care planning. In support of this, a family member stated, "Before [person] went the first time they [staff] called me and were on the phone for an hour so they could get to know her". Another relative stated, "The staff know [person] well". People also told us updates regarding people's health and wellbeing were routinely obtained prior to each admission, ensuring the person remained at the centre of their care. One relative informed us, "We are always involved in [person's] care plan".
Support was provided to improve people's wellbeing and develop a sense of purpose. People told us they built life skills and increased their independence through activities such as cooking and baking. People told us they helped to plan how they spent their time at the service and took part in grocery shopping. As a result, people felt they were given control and their preferences were considered during their short break.
Comments were also made regarding the cleanliness of the environment. One Shared Lives carer reported, "Hygiene is great. The toilet and rooms are spotless". Another stated, "Woodbury is very clean". Our observations supported this, as we completed an environmental walkaround and witnessed staff wearing personal protective equipment in line with infection prevention and control guidance.
We discussed the responsiveness of the service with people and whether they felt able to raise concerns should they arise. All relatives reported they were able to contact the service to request updates and raise concerns when required, with responses being provided in a timely manner. People and families also demonstrated a good awareness of the registered manager. One relative reported, "[Registered manager name] is lovely. She is very nice and easy to talk to".