Woodlands Care Home

Updated 7 April 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC's response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 16 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 7 April 2021

Woodlands Care Home provides accommodation and care for up to 43 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 35 people living in the home.

The inspection took place on 15 November 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the people who lived at the home and staff did not know we would be visiting. The service was rated Good at two previous comprehensive inspections, which took place in March 2015 and April 2017. You can read the reports from our previous inspections by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘Woodlands Care Home’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At the time of this inspection the service had a registered manager. 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 who used the service were protected from the risks of abuse and risks associated with people’s care were identified and managed appropriately. Accidents and incidents were monitored and appropriate actions taken to minimise reoccurrences. We observed there were enough staff available to meet people needs in a timely way. People’s medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. However, some documentation in relation to medicines could be improved.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to complete their role well. People received a balanced diet and the meal time experience was pleasant. Health care professionals were accessed when needed and their advice was followed. People received personalised care and their choices were respected. 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.

We observed staff interacting positively with people and their visitors. Staff were kind and caring in their manner, knew people well and provided a homely atmosphere. They respected people and ensured that people’s privacy and dignity were respected.

People received personalised care which met their needs. People had access to a variety of social activities and entertainment. People were asked what they wanted to do and people engaged in different activities, depending on their preferences. We observed people enjoyed the activities they participated in. End of life care choices were considered and recorded in care records. People felt able to raise concerns and told us the registered manager and staff were approachable.

The service was well led and the registered provider had a system in place to monitor the quality of the service. Audits took place at regular intervals and actions were taken to make changes when required. People who used the service, their relatives and staff had lots of opportunities to voice their opinions and to be involved in the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings in the full version of the report.