Willowbrook Homecare

Updated 28 July 2021

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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

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

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. In addition, we spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager. We looked at a range of records. This included two people’s care records, recruitment files, medication records and audits of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at their quality assurance systems.

Updated 28 July 2021

About the service

Willowbrook Home Care is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care support to people living with dementia, mental health and older people. It supports people who have a physical disability and younger adults, all who live in their own homes. The agency is situated in the town of Lytham. The office is accessible to anyone with mobility problems. At the time of our inspection there were 65 people receiving a service from Willowbrook Home Care.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People we spoke with were extremely positive about staff and support they received. For example, one person said, “The staff are wonderful always on time and do a super job for me.” Another said, “I could not do without them absolute angels.” Staff continued to be recruited safely, and staff were deployed to provide the right support for people. Staff demonstrated a good understanding about safeguarding people from the risk of abuse and training was provided and updated. Staff managed medicines according to national guidelines and one said, “Training is very good around medication practices and administration.” Staff assessed and helped manage avoidable risks. In addition, any incidents that occurred would be analysed and lessons learnt from them. Support for people was planned to ensure the persons needs and wishes were considered. Risks were assessed in the individual homes and person centred to ensure people were protected and could be supported safely. Staff were provided with personal protective equipment to protect people and themselves from the spread of infection. One staff member said, “We have no shortages of PPE.”

People received support with their healthcare and nutritional needs. they 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. Staff training was ongoing and comments from staff were positive about access and continued access to courses. Staff we spoke with confirmed this.

People supported by the agency told us staff and the management team who visited them were polite, reliable and professional in their approach to their work. Staff continued to support people to attend healthcare appointments if necessary.

The service had a complaints procedure which was made available to people they supported. People we spoke with told us they knew how to make a complaint if they had any concerns.

The management team had extensive auditing systems to maintain ongoing oversight of the service and make improvements where necessary. Quality assurance processes ensured people were able to give their views of the service and improvements made when they were identified.

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.

This 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.

Care and support had been developed around individual assessed needs. Staff worked in a way which promoted the persons independence. For example, People told us staff encouraged them to participate in their care and choices where possible.

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights

Care support plans were person centred and ensured the individual and family were involved in the development and review of their plan as far as possible. Training and support for staff ensured human rights was at the heart of the delivery of care and support.

Right culture:

• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

The ethos of the agency was to develop and target support which suited the individual and helped them live the best life possible.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good and was (published 17 January 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively

Follow Up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.