Windsor Road

Updated 10 April 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: The inspection was carried out by an adult social care inspector.

Service and service type: Windsor House is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The building was designed and the service was developed before Registering the Right Support, the model of care proposed from 2015 and 2016 guidance that people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder which proposed smaller community based housing. The service does promote and follow other best practice guidance and values. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

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.

Notice of inspection: We gave 24 hours’ notice of the inspection to ensure that people would be in.

What we did: Before the inspection the provider sent us a Provider Information Return. Providers are required to send us information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We reviewed information we held about the service, for example, statutory notifications. A notification is information about events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

We contacted commissioners to seek their feedback. We received no information of concern. During the site visit we carried out general observations in the communal dining/lounge. We spoke with five people, the registered manager, deputy manager, four support workers and one visitor. We reviewed a range of records. These included three people’s care records and two people’s medicines records. We also looked at three staff files to check staff recruitment and their training records. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service and a variety of policies and procedures developed and implemented by the provider. We carried out general observations in the communal dining room and lounge.

Updated 10 April 2019

About the service: Windsor House is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for a maximum of 10 people with a learning impairment or associated conditions. The service accommodated eight people at the time of the inspection. The service operates from one purpose built building.

People’s experience of using this service: Some of the people who used the service had complex needs and they did not express their views about the service. During the time we spent with people we saw they appeared comfortable with staff.

Systems were in place to protect people from abuse. However, we have made a recommendation about the financial arrangements that are in place for a person, as they are not independent of the organisation and could pose a conflict of interest.

There were enough staff available to provide individual care and support to each person. Staff upheld people's human rights and treated everyone with respect and dignity.

Communication was effective and staff and people were listened to. Staff said they felt well-supported and were aware of their rights and their responsibility to share any concerns about the care provided.

The atmosphere was bright and welcoming and the building was well-maintained with a good standard of hygiene.

Information was accessible to involve people in decision making about their lives. 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

Staff knew the people they were supporting well. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported. Staff had developed good relationships with people, were caring in their approach and treated people with respect.

Risk assessments were in place and they accurately identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks. Staff knew the needs of the people they supported to provide individual care and records reflected the care provided. Arrangements for managing people’s medicines were safe.

There were opportunities for people to follow their interests and hobbies. They were supported to be part of the local community and to go on holiday. People enjoyed their meals and their dietary needs had been catered for.

Staff were well-supported due to regular supervision, annual appraisals and an induction programme, which developed their understanding of people and their routines. Staff received training to ensure they could support people safely and carry out their roles effectively.

There was regular consultation with people. All people were kept involved and encouraged to make decisions, whatever the level of need. They were involved in regular meetings about their care and the running of the home. Menus and activities were planned with input from people, based on their personal preferences and choices.

The registered manager monitored the quality of the service through audits and feedback received from people, their relatives, staff and external agencies.

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated good (11 May 2016.)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection to check that this service remained good.

Follow up: We did not identify any concerns at this inspection. We will therefore re-inspect this service within the published timeframe for services rated good. We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive.

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