Woodpeckers

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

People felt safe living at Woodpeckers and they were very much at the heart of the service. We received consistent positive feedback from people, their families and health professionals. People received excellent care that was based around their individual needs and that ensured care was personalised and responsive.

Staff working at Woodpeckers understood the needs of people using the service and supported people in an exceptionally personalised way. Staff knew people well and we saw that care was provided respectfully and sensitively, taking into account people's different needs. The impact this had on people was outstanding and had resulted in people living an active life with choice evident throughout.

The home developed and promoted community involvement within the home. They hosted a Winter Wonderland event which people were involved in and had made products to sell and raise money for the charity of their choice. People, their families and staff took part in the local carnival procession. The home had built strong links with the local primary school and children visited the home weekly and worked with people through a buddy system.

The provider employed an Admiral Nurse to support staff, people and their families living with dementia. The service recognised and responded to people's needs for social interaction and mental stimulation. The registered manager also promoted community involvement and supported a student from a special needs school with work experience, where one person especially enjoyed the interaction.

People were cared for by a motivated and well trained staff team, who always put people first. Staff had the specialist knowledge and skills required to meet people's needs. Staff were encouraged to develop their careers and increase their skill set.

The home was responsive to people's needs and wishes. People were able to choose what activities they took part in and suggest other activities they would like to complete.

Relevant recruitment checks were conducted before staff started working at Woodpeckers to make sure

they were of good character and had the necessary skills. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and knew how to identify, prevent and report abuse. There were enough staff to keep people safe. People involved in the recruitment process and had an input in staff employed at the home.

People received a high standard of care because staff were led by an experienced and proactive registered manager .The provider continued to seek to improve people's care and treatment by working in partnership with other health providers to implement best practice.

Staff worked closely with the local college supporting new students into care which benefited the college and people at the home.

Regular governance meeting were held which promoted strong leadership of continuing improving and continually learning to improve quality of care.

The risks to people were minimized through risk assessments. There were plans in place for foreseeable emergencies and fire safety checks were carried out.

People received varied meals including a choice of fresh food and drinks. Mealtimes were positive and sociable experiences. Staff were aware of people's likes and dislikes and offered alternatives if people did not want the menu choice of the day.

Creative ways had been introduced to encourage eating for people who were nutritionally at risk in the shape of smoothies and savoury cereal bars. People were listened to for meal preferences and as a result a winter menu was brought in with an extra hot meal in the evening and people chose different guest ice creams and were imaginative in their ideas.

A nutrition folder had been introduced with the guidance of the NHS professionals in dietetics. The provider worked in partnership with other health organisations and were involved in a pilot on National Early Warning Score to identify early warning signs of deterioration in people.

Staff received regular support and received regular one to one sessions of supervision to discuss areas of development. New staff completed an induction programme before being permitted to work unsupervised.

People felt they were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was respected. Staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and were clear that people had the right to make their own choices. Staff sought consent from people before providing care and support. The ability of people to make decisions was assessed in line with legal requirements to ensure their rights were protected and their liberty was not restricted unlawfully. People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

The home maintained a good level of communication with people through a range of newsletters and meetings. 'Residents meetings' and surveys allowed people and their families to provide feedback, which was used to improve the service. People felt listened to and a complaints procedure was in place.

Regular audits of the service were carried out to assess and monitor the quality of the service. There were appropriate management arrangements in place.

At the last inspection in October 2015 the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service

was outstanding.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found