Weighbridge Court

Updated 27 October 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on the 28 September and was announced.

The registered manager was given notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. One adult social care inspector carried out the inspection.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information in the PIR along with information we held about the service, such as notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection we visited people in their own homes. This was to find out what experiences people had living at Weighbridge Court.

We spoke with two people who lived at the service and two relatives. During our visit we spoke with the registered manager, the regional manager, the duty manager and two care staff. We looked at three people’s care records and associated medicine records, four staff files, staff training records and reviewed other records related to the management of the service.

Updated 27 October 2018

Weighbridge Court provides care and support to people living in specialist 'extra care' housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought and is the occupant's own home. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people's personal care [and support] service.

At the time of our inspection, seven people were being offered personal care. People lived in their own apartments and were referred to as 'Home owners' by the provider. The complex has a communal lounge, a restaurant and gardens, which are for use by all homeowners.

This inspection was carried out on 28 September 2018 and was announced. At their last inspection on 25 February 2016, we found one area that required improvement. The service was not always well led as staff did not always feel valued and supported by the organisation. At this inspection we found they now met all the standards.

The service had 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Everyone including staff spoke highly of the registered manager, the management team and the organisation and said they were approachable and supportive. The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided and where issues were identified they acted to make improvements.

Staff we spoke with told us they were aware of the potential types of abuse people were at risk of and the action to take to report and protect people from the risk of further abuse. Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to ensure all care visits were made, with staff staying the required length of time and completing required tasks. Where people needed help with their medicines care staff recorded when these were needed and administered.

Staff received appropriate training and they told us the training was good and relevant to their role. Staff were supported by the registered manager and received formal supervision where they could discuss their ongoing development needs. 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.

People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care they received from the service. Activities were available for people who used the service based on their likes and interests and to help meet their social needs. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.