Wickham Care Home

This report provides an overview of Willowmead Care Home following a recent inspection. The inspection focused on assessing the overall quality and safety of the care provided, particularly for residents with learning disabilities and those who are autistic, aligning with statutory guidance on "Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture." The findings indicate areas where improvements are needed to ensure residents consistently receive the highest standard of care and support across all aspects of the service.

On safety, while some good practices were observed such as effective infection control measures and most staff having good knowledge of safeguarding, concerns remain. There were instances where risks associated with care were not fully assessed or recorded, and fire evacuation procedures required strengthening to ensure all staff were competent. Additionally, investigations into safeguarding incidents were not always thoroughly completed, and some relatives expressed worries about their loved ones' safety.

In terms of how effective the care is, residents generally received kind and responsive care, and their dietary needs were well met. However, there are areas for development, including ensuring all staff have completed their induction process and that training records, particularly for fire safety and safeguarding, are up to date. The physical environment in one of the houses was noted as tired, and the layout of communal areas could be improved to better support dementia care.

Regarding the caring aspect, staff demonstrated a good understanding of residents' individual needs and treated them with respect, supporting their choices and accommodating their wishes whenever possible. Residents and their relatives generally felt that staff communicated well and understood their needs.

In relation to how responsive the service is, residents had choices about their living environment and were able to personalise their rooms. Staff supported residents in participating in activities and communicated in ways that met their needs. However, relatives sometimes lacked consistent feedback regarding the outcomes of healthcare appointments.

On being well-led, staff felt respected and supported by the management team. The service was open to feedback when things went wrong and apologised to residents and their families. However, the provider needs to enhance its quality assurance processes and ensure that all necessary documentation for agency staff is consistently obtained to provide greater assurance of the vetting process. There were also issues with medicines not always being stored securely, and protocols for "when required" medicines needed further development.