Wendover House

Heathcotes Wendover House accommodates people in one adapted building. All of the bedrooms have ensuite facilities and people share a bathroom, lounge and kitchen/diner. There is a small separate sitting room which has been converted into a sensory area.

The service is also registered for the regulated activity personal care to enable them to support people in a two bedroomed supported living service, next door to the care home. At the time of the inspection the regulated activity personal care was not provided. Therefore, only the regulated activity Accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care was looked at as part of this inspection.

Some relatives still felt there was a lack of continuity of staff and that activities, communication, meals and management of laundry could be improved. Those areas were being addressed by the provider.

Risks to people were identified and mitigated. Staff were aware of people's risks and how best to support them. Risks around fluid monitoring and the environment needed further consideration. Action was taken to mitigate those findings.

Staff were suitably recruited, although recruitment files did not contain photos or risk assessments regarding the decision to employ a staff member, where this was required. The registered manager confirmed this would be addressed.

Auditing and monitoring of the service was taking place which enabled the provider to identify shortfalls in the service provided. Improvements had been made to records, with further improvements identified and being implemented.

Sufficient staff were provided with the service actively recruiting into vacancies which had reduced agency use. Staff felt better trained and supported in their roles with gaps in training and supervision identified through the providers auditing. This was being addressed.

Systems were in place to safeguard people from abuse and staff were proactive in recognising and reporting potential safeguarding incidents. Accident and incidents were recorded and showed debrief of incidents to prevent reoccurrence.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: Model of care and setting maximises people's choice, control and Independence. People were encouraged to make choices and the service was working to promote their independence.

Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights. The service was working to further develop person centred care. A dignity workshop had taken place and the provider continued to address practices where people's privacy and dignity was not upheld.

Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. The provider was proactive in addressing the culture within the service with staff roles defined, further training provided, rota better managed to meet the needs of people within the service and action taken where staff attitudes and behaviours did not promote the right culture.

The registered manager had been proactive in improving the service and had a clear focus on what they wanted to achieve to further promote person centred care, sustain improvements and continue to develop the service. A relative commented "[registered managers name] is really trying to bring stability and change to the service, which is positive."