We inspected Woodley House on 5 and 6 July 2016. The inspection was unannounced.
Woodley House is situated in the village of Ruddington in Nottinghamshire. The service comprises of three separate buildings, the house, cottage and bungalow and provides care and support for up to 20 people with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection 16 people lived at the service.
The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our visit. 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 told us they felt safe at Woodley House and did not have any concerns about the care they received. Staff knew how to protect people from harm and referrals were made to the appropriate authority when concerns were raised.
Risks to people’s safety were identified and managed and assessments carried out to minimise the risk of harm. The building was well maintained and regular safety checks were carried out.
People received care and support in a timely way and there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and experienced staff employed. Appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out before staff began work at Woodley House.
People received their prescribed medicines when required and these were stored and administered safely. Procedures were in place to ensure people received their medicines safely when they were away from the service.
People received effective care from staff who received training and support to ensure they could meet people’s needs. On going training and assessment for all staff was scheduled to help maintain their knowledge.
People provided consent to any care and treatment provided. Where they did not have capacity to offer informed consent their best interests and rights were protected under the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People’s wishes regarding their care and treatment were respected by staff.
People told us they enjoyed the food offered and we saw they had sufficient quantities of food and drink to help them maintain healthy nutrition and hydration. People had access to healthcare professionals when required and staff followed their guidance to ensure people maintained good health.
People were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was protected. We observed positive, caring relationships between staff and people using the service. Where possible people were involved in making decisions about their care and daily activities.
Staff understood people’s support needs and ensured they received personalised responsive care. People had the opportunity to take part in enjoyable, constructive activities and maintain family and social relationships. When a complaint or concern was raised this was acted on quickly and investigated thoroughly by the service.
There was an open and transparent culture at the service. People, their relatives and staff were encouraged to have their say on their experience of care and their comments were acted on. Robust quality monitoring systems were in place to identify areas for improvement and ensure these were acted on.