Archived: Wedgwood Unit

Updated 9 April 2015

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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 14 January 2015 and was unannounced. Our inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Before the inspection we checked the information we held about the service and provider. This included the notifications that the provider had sent to us about incidents at the service and information we had received from the public. We used this information to formulate our inspection plan. Some of the information we held alleged poor cleanliness so we included this in our inspection plan.

We spoke with nine people who used the service and three relatives. We did this to gain people’s views about the care. We also spoke with four members of care staff, two nurses, the activity coordinator, two physiotherapists, an occupational therapist, the care lead, the unit manager, the registered manager and the business manager. This was to check that standards of care were being met.

We spent time observing care in communal areas and we observed how the staff interacted with people who used the service.

We looked at four people’s care records to see if their records were accurate and up to date. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service. These included audits, staff rotas, training records and staff recruitment files.

Updated 9 April 2015

We inspected this service on 14 January 2015. This was an unannounced inspection.

The service was registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 33 people. People who use the service remained patients at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, but are transferred to the unit because their health needs no longer require treatment within a hospital setting. Most people who use the service require a short period of rehabilitation before they are discharged to their own home or to a care home.

At the time of our inspection 32 people were using the service.

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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We identified that improvements were required to ensure people received their medicines safely.

People’s risks were assessed and there were sufficient numbers of staff to promote people’s safety. However, care records did not always show that risks were reviewed when required to ensure people’s safety was consistently promoted.

Some people were unable to make certain decisions about their care and one person had their movements restricted within the unit’s environment to keep them safe. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) set out requirements to ensure where appropriate, decisions are made in people’s best interests when they are unable to do this for themselves. We found that the staff did not always apply their knowledge of the Act and the DoLS to manage the restrictions they placed on people. This meant that the staff did not always follow the legal requirements in place to ensure decisions were made in people’s best interests.

People received sufficient amounts of food and drink. However, people’s dietary care plans were not always followed. This meant people’s risks of malnutrition and dehydration were not always being managed as planned.

The staff had received training that enabled them to meet people’s needs. Care was provided with kindness and compassion and people’s independence and dignity were promoted. Support and advice was also offered to people’s relatives as required.

People’s health and wellbeing were monitored and staff worked with other professionals to ensure people received medical, health and social care support when required.

People were involved in the assessment of their needs and care was provided in accordance with people’s care preferences. People were encouraged to participate in their preferred activities to reduce the risk of isolation or boredom.

The provider listened to and acted upon feedback from people who used the service to improve care. As a result of feedback, plans were in place to improve people’s involvement in the planning of their rehabilitation and discharge needs.

There was a positive and enabling culture within the unit and an effective management structure was in place to support the staff and improve the quality of care.

The registered manager had identified where improvements were required and was working on making the required improvements.