Westfield House

Updated 15 May 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 on 21 March 2019 by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Westfield House is a residential care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. 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 registered manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager 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:

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did:

We reviewed the information we had received about the service. This included notifications of events that had happened at the service such as deaths and serious injuries, which the provider is required to send to us by law. We looked at the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we ask the provider to send to us at least annually to tell us about what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. This information helped us to plan our inspection.

During the inspection visit, we spoke with three people who used the service and observed a further three people. We also met and spoke with the regional manager, the registered manager, a deputy manager, the transitions coordinator, the maintenance person and four care staff, including seniors. We reviewed two people’s care records in detail and looked at an assortment of information for the other people who lived in the home. We discussed the recruitment procedures with the registered manager, observed administration of medicines and looked at associated medicines documentation. We also looked at some of the records relating to the management and operation of the service, such as staff training, minutes of meetings, quality assurance checks and audits.

Updated 15 May 2019

About the service:

Westfield House is a residential care home that provides care and support for up to 12 people with learning disabilities and specialises in the care of those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Nine people were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

People’s experience of using this service:

¿ The service was safe and people were protected from harm. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding adults from abuse and knew what to do if they had any concerns and how to report them. Risks to people who used the service were assessed and their safety was monitored and managed, with minimal restrictions on their freedom. Risk assessments were thorough and personalised.

¿ The service ensured there were sufficient numbers of suitable staff to meet people’s needs and support them to stay safe. The registered manager confirmed that robust recruitment procedures were followed.

¿ Medicines were stored, managed and administered safely. Staff were trained, and their competency checked, in respect of administering and managing medicines.

¿ People who used the service took part in the recruitment of new staff and volunteers and had a strong influence on the outcome.

¿ Staff training was developed and delivered around people’s individual needs.

¿ The service placed a strong emphasis on the importance of eating and drinking well. Wholesome and nutritious food was provided, with a variety of different options to choose from each day. People who used the service were fully involved and helped to plan their meals with staff.

¿ Links with health and social care services were excellent.

¿ There were different areas for people to use for their preferred activities, and private space to spend time with their families or visitors, or to have time alone. People who used the service were encouraged to help with decorating or furnishing the premises.

¿ The service was skilled in how it obtained people’s consent for care and treatment and involved them in related decisions and assessing capacity when needed. Staff were fully educated and trained and had a comprehensive understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

¿ Staff treated people with kindness, respect and compassion. People also received emotional support when needed. People were involved in planning the care and support they received and were supported to make choices and decisions and maintain their independence as much as possible. Information was provided to people in formats they could understand.

¿ Care plans were personalised and described the holistic care and support each person required, together with details of their strengths and aspirations. Information also explained how people could be supported to maintain and enhance their independence and what could help ensure they consistently had a good quality of life. People’s comments and concerns were listened to and taken seriously. The service also used any comments or complaints to help drive improvement within the service.

Rating at last inspection:

At our last inspection (report published 26 August 2016) all the key questions were rated Good and the service was rated as Good overall. The overall rating has not changed and the service remains Good. However, the rating for the key question of Effective has improved to Outstanding.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the date and the rating of the last inspection.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service through the information that we receive.

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