Woodlands Care Home provides accommodation and care for up to 43 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 35 people living in the home.

The inspection took place on 15 November 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the people who lived at the home and staff did not know we would be visiting. The service was rated Good at two previous comprehensive inspections, which took place in March 2015 and April 2017. You can read the reports from our previous inspections by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘Woodlands Care Home’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At the time of this inspection 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People who used the service were protected from the risks of abuse and risks associated with people’s care were identified and managed appropriately. Accidents and incidents were monitored and appropriate actions taken to minimise reoccurrences. We observed there were enough staff available to meet people needs in a timely way. People’s medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. However, some documentation in relation to medicines could be improved.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to complete their role well. People received a balanced diet and the meal time experience was pleasant. Health care professionals were accessed when needed and their advice was followed. People received personalised care and their choices were respected. 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.

We observed staff interacting positively with people and their visitors. Staff were kind and caring in their manner, knew people well and provided a homely atmosphere. They respected people and ensured that people’s privacy and dignity were respected.

People received personalised care which met their needs. People had access to a variety of social activities and entertainment. People were asked what they wanted to do and people engaged in different activities, depending on their preferences. We observed people enjoyed the activities they participated in. End of life care choices were considered and recorded in care records. People felt able to raise concerns and told us the registered manager and staff were approachable.

The service was well led and the registered provider had a system in place to monitor the quality of the service. Audits took place at regular intervals and actions were taken to make changes when required. People who used the service, their relatives and staff had lots of opportunities to voice their opinions and to be involved in the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings in the full version of the report.

Woodlands Care Home provides accommodation and care for up to 43 people, some of whom were living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 35 people living in the home.

There was a registered manager in the home. 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.

At the last inspection in March 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People were supported by staff who knew how to protect them from harm and risks to people's health and wellbeing were managed. There were enough staff to meet people's care and support needs.

Medicines were stored and managed in a safe way and people received them as prescribed.

Staff received training relevant to their role and were supported further through regular supervisions.

People had a choice of food and staff supported them with dietary requirements.

Referrals to external healthcare professionals were made in a timely manner and people were able to request when they wanted to see a doctor or nurse.

People were supported to have 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.

People participated in activities of their choice within the service and the local community.

There were enough staff to support people to participate in the activities they chose. People's visitors were welcomed and there were no restrictions on when they could visit.

There was clear and visible leadership in place and the staff team felt supported by the management team.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of service being delivered.

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. People told us that they were happy with the care they received. One person told us: "It’s smashing, all the people are lovely.” Another person said: "I love it here, everything is taken care of".

People’s privacy, dignity and independence were respected. People’s views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care. One person who used the service told us: "You can be as involved as you want to be, I have enjoyed being part of the interview process for new staff."

People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights. One person said "it’s lovely here." Another person said: "I like it here, we get decent meals and there are always different activities to choose from." A visiting GP told us “the staff a doing a fantastic job, they are very proactive and communicate well with me.”

People were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment.

People were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff.

There was an effective complaints system available. Comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.

People were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were maintained.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. People’s files contained documents relating to the level of involvement they wish to have in the care planning process.

People’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual care plan. We saw that each person had a detailed assessment of their needs, which recorded their preferences in relation to how the provider should meet their needs. People we spoke with said “meals here are marvellous, with lots of choice” and “I think we are fortunate here, staff are good and it’s so clean and tidy.”

People who use the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening. Safeguarding training for all staff was updated every 12 months, ensuring staff remained informed about abuse. Staff said information was readily available about training and development through the staff notice board and one to one sessions. One member of staff told us "I thoroughly enjoy my work, we really have a great team".

People who use the service, their representatives and staff were asked for their views about their care and treatment and they were acted on. We saw an annual satisfaction and quality survey was sent to people using the service, their relatives, staff and healthcare professionals.

People using the service told us they were happy with the care provided and were involved in decisions about their care and welfare needs. One person told us they were able to choose what time they got up and went to bed and if they wanted be involved in the activities available for that day.

We spoke with four relatives during our inspection who told us they had not been involved in the development of their relatives care plan, but this had been their choice. However, they also told us they were able to make changes to their relatives care if they wished. They also told us their relative’s dignity was respected and independence was always maintained.

People using the service told us they were happy living at the home and they were well looked after. We spoke with four people who told us “I have looked at other homes and this is superior, I love it”, “I am very lucky living here”, “I cannot fault it” and “It is a very friendly place to live”. One person told us the staff are like friends.

Two relatives we spoke with told us they were quite happy with the care their relative received. Another relative we spoke with told us “Care was excellent and their family member was more alert and eats more since they had lived at the home, it has done her good”.

We spoke with four relatives who confirmed they would talk to the manager if they had any concerns. People told us that they felt safe at the home and they would tell staff or the manager if they were worried about anything.

We inspected Woodlands Care Home on 18 and 19 March 2015. The inspection was unannounced. Woodlands Care Home was last inspected in July and November 2013, no concerns were identified at those inspections.

Woodlands provides accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care for up to 43 people. On the day of the inspection 41 people were receiving care services from the provider. The home 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People who used this service were safe. The care staff knew how to identify if a person may be at risk of harm and the action to take if they had concerns about a person’s safety.

The care staff knew the people they were supporting and the choices they had made about their care and their lives. People who used the service, and those who were important to them, were included in planning and agreeing to the care provided.

The decisions people made were respected. People were supported to maintain their independence and control over their lives. People received care from a team of staff who they knew and who knew them.

People were treated with kindness and respect. One person said, “I cannot speak highly enough of them (staff). I like them a lot.” A relative told us, “The management and staff are all approachable. They are wonderful with [the person] and us.”

The registered manager used safe recruitment systems to ensure that new staff were only employed if they were suitable to work in a care environment. The staff employed by the service were aware of their responsibility to protect people from harm or abuse. They told us they would be confident reporting any concerns to a senior person in the service or to the local authority or CQC.

There were sufficient staff, with appropriate experience, training and skills to meet people’s needs. The service was well managed and took appropriate action if expected standards were not met. This ensured people received a safe service that promoted their rights and independence.

Staff were well supported through a system of induction, training, supervision, appraisal and professional development. There was a positive culture within the service which was demonstrated by the attitudes of staff when we spoke with them and their approach to supporting people to maintain their independence.

The service was well-led. There was a comprehensive, formal quality assurance process in place. All aspects of the service were formally monitored to ensure good care was provided and planned improvements and changes implemented in a timely manner. There were good systems in place for care staff or others to raise any concerns with the registered manager.