The inspection took place on 15 May 2015 and was unannounced. At our last inspection in May 2013 there were no identified breaches of legal requirements.
Willow Park Care Home is registered to provide accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care, diagnostic and screening procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury for up to 64 people. The purpose built home is divided over three floors with residential, dementia and nursing care on separate floors. There were 59 people living at Willow Park on the day of our inspection.
There was a registered manager in post. 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 told us they felt safe living at Willow Park Care Home. Staff had received training in safeguarding vulnerable adults. They were knowledgeable about how to recognise abuse and what to do if they witnessed abuse happening.
When we looked at how staff managed medicines, we found practices were safe and medicines were administered by staff who were trained to do so.
There was a system in place to ensure all new staff received an induction and training to ensure they had the skills to perform in their role.
The registered manager and the staff we spoke with had a good knowledge about the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. However, although people may have been deprived of their liberty, no one had been referred for an authorisation. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) is part of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. They aim to make sure that people in care homes, hospitals and supported living are looked after in a way that does not inappropriately restrict their freedom. This was a breach of regulation 13 (5) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
Staff had received training and an appraisal to enable them to acquire skills to support the peoplewho lived at the home. Not all staff supervisions were up to date.
Staff were caring and had a detailed understanding of the people they supported. They encouraged people to remain as independent as possible whilst they lived at Willow Park Care Home.
Staff treated people with dignity and respect and ensured their privacy was respected at all times. People’s choices were respected and they were able to get up and go to bed at a time that suited them. Care and support was planned and reviewed as necessary.
There was an activities coordinator who supported people to undertake meaningful occupation during the day.
Staff were supported in their role by the registered manager. Staff told us they thought the home was well led and the culture of the home was good. The home undertook regular audits to assess the quality of the service they provided. The home actively sought the views of the people who lived there and their relatives and acted on the results of the surveys to continually improve the home for the people who lived there.