Wagtail Close

Updated 18 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 by two inspectors and an assistant inspector.

Service and service type:

The service comprises a three bedded respite unit for people with residential care needs, four extra care housing schemes and a number of people living in more separate properties close to one of the schemes.

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:

The inspection was announced. We gave the provider a few days’ notice about the inspection site visit. This was because we wanted to make arrangements with the provider to speak to people who use the service. On the 18 April 2019, we visited people, spoke with staff and reviewed care and management records at two extra care housing schemes. On 25 April 2019 we visited the provider’s offices to review management records. We also visited the third Extra Care Housing Scheme to speak with people, staff and review care and medicine related records. Between 23 April and 29 April 2019 we made phone calls to people and staff who lived and worked at a fourth Extra Care Housing Scheme.

What we did:

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection in February 2018.

We asked for feedback from the local authority and commissioning teams.

We spoke with the registered manager, three locality managers, two team leaders, 14 care workers and a housing provider manager.

We spoke with 15 people who used the service and three relatives.

We reviewed parts of seven people’s care records and other records and audits relating to the management of the service.

Updated 18 May 2019

About the service: Wagtail Close comprises a number of service types. This includes a four bedded respite care unit where people receive residential care on a short-term basis.

In addition, the service provides care and support to people living in four specialist ‘extra care’ housing schemes located across Bradford. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service. Of the four Extra Care Housing Schemes, three were predominantly for elderly people and the fourth provided care and support to predominantly younger disabled adults.

The service also provided support to a number of people living in more individual properties close to one of the Extra Care Housing Schemes.

Not everyone using the Extra Care Housing Schemes receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

At the time of the inspection the service was providing care and support to 113 people.

People’s experience of using this service:

People told us they were happy with the care and support they received. They said that regular staff knew them well and were good at their roles. Some people did say that the effectiveness of care and support was sometimes compromised by the use of agency staff who did not know their needs as well, but that this was not usually a regular occurrence, although the prevalence of this varied dependant on which scheme people lived at.

People were kept safe from abuse. Risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and clear plans put in place for staff to follow. People received their medicines on time and when they needed them.

Staff received a range of training and support to undertake their roles. We found staff to be knowledgeable about the people and topics we asked them about.

People’s care needs were assessed and the service worked with a range of professionals to meet individual needs. People were supported to eat and drink enough.

Staff treated people with kindness and compassion. We saw examples of people’s independence being promoted by staff. People reported good outcomes whilst using the service.

Since the last inspection a number of improvements had been made. There was good management oversight of the service and the management team undertook a range of checks to ensure the service performed to an acceptable standard.

People’s feedback was sought on a regular basis. This included at resident meetings, care reviews and although regular questionnaires. The management team were receptive to people’s comments and complaints and acted on them.

Rating at last inspection: The last inspection report was published in April 2018 with a rating of Requires Improvement.

Why we inspected: This was a routine inspection to check whether the service had made improvements since the last inspection.

Follow up: ongoing monitoring;

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