Woburn House

Updated 3 October 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector conducted this inspection.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager was not available at the time of this inspection. We conducted the inspection with the support of the directors and deputy manager.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 29 August 2019 and ended on 05 September 2019. We visited the office location on 29 August 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority, Healthwatch Luton and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the director, deputy manager, and care workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

We continued during the inspection process, to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with three professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 3 October 2019

About the service

Woburn House is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to three people at the time of the inspection. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received exceptionally high quality, safe and very personalised care where risks were creatively and successfully managed. One social care professional told us, “One person who has very complex needs that we were struggling to meet has been able to live in the community now for over a year. I got feedback from the clinical lead complimenting the staff. It is all down to the staff.”

People were fully involved in reviewing and agreeing how care was to be provided. One relative told us, “The care has been excellent. With Woburn House, we finally have a provider who understands my family member. They understand the complexities of their conditions and their needs. They have created a community around my family member.”

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Staff training was bespoke and unique and enabled staff to support people effectively to develop skills and confidence and become more independent. Staff supported people to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were regularly consulted about their experience of the care and the service generally. Care and staffing was then adapted to meet new needs or additional challenges as they arose. The service also consulted and worked together with the local authority and other health and social care professionals in highly innovative ways. This ensured a consistent approach and minimal disruption for people when any changes were required.

People were supported and encouraged by staff to try new activities and develop new skills and coping mechanisms to avoid feelings of isolation and promote a full life. People who wished it were supported to make their own meals and drinks with a focus on the type of food from their cultural background.

One person had been able to gain employment. Relatives told us how their family members cultural and religious needs were being met. This gave relatives comfort that staff were caring and had similar values as their family member.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 18/05/2017 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.