We carried out an inspection of Woodside Home for Older People on 22 and 23 December 2015. The first day was unannounced. We last inspected the home on 13 May 2014 and found the service was meeting the regulations that were applicable at that time.Woodside Home for Older People is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 45 older people. Accommodation is on two floors linked by a passenger lift. The home has four separate units known as Alder Close, Beech Close, Cedar Close and Damson Close. Beech Close provides care for older people living with dementia. The home is located close to Padiham town centre and has an enclosed garden with raised flower beds and benches.
The service was managed by 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.
During this inspection we found the service was meeting the current regulations.
People living in the home told us they felt safe and well cared for. We found there were enough staff to support people effectively. The staff were knowledgeable about the individual needs of the people and knew how to recognise signs of abuse. The registered manager followed a robust recruitment procedure to ensure new staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed.
The premises and equipment were appropriately maintained and we noted safety checks were carried out on a regular basis. Risks to people’s health and safety had been identified, assessed and managed safely.
Staff followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure that people’s rights were protected where they were unable to make decisions for themselves.
People had their nutritional needs met and were offered a choice at every meal time. People were offered a varied diet and were provided with sufficient drinks and snacks.
Staff were able to maintain and develop their skills by on-going training. Staff spoken with confirmed they had access to range of learning opportunities and told us they were well supported by the registered manager and management team.
The staff were caring, positive, encouraging and attentive when communicating
and supporting people. Visitors were made welcome in the home and people were supported to maintain relationships with their friends and relatives.
Care records and risk assessments were person-centred and were an accurate reflection of the person’s care and support needs. The care plans were written with the person, so they were able to influence the delivery of their care. The care plans included the person’s likes and preferences and were reviewed regularly to reflect changes to the person’s needs and circumstances. People had good access to healthcare professionals.
People knew how to raise concerns and complaints if they needed to. Appropriate action was taken to address issues that were raised. People’s views of the service were sought and responded to appropriately.
There was an open and friendly atmosphere in the home, which showed the staff and registered manager had good relationships and knew the people well. We observed staff supporting people with respect whilst assisting them to maintain their independence.
All people, their relatives and staff spoken with had confidence in the registered manager and felt the home had clear leadership. We found there were effective systems to assess and monitor the quality of the service, which included feedback from people living in the home and their relatives.