Woodside Residential Care Home

Welcome to Woodside Residential Care Home. This summary provides an overview of the recent CQC inspection report, offering insights into the care and services provided. The inspection focused on key areas to ensure the home is safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led, with the aim of supporting families in making informed decisions about residential care.

Regarding safety, while some aspects of medication management have improved, concerns remain about the inconsistent identification and management of people's individual needs, particularly for those with diabetes. There were also noted issues with fire safety procedures and training, as well as inconsistencies in infection prevention and control, such as the availability of hand hygiene facilities in some rooms and the management of bedding. Furthermore, recruitment processes have not always ensured that staff are safely recruited, with gaps in employment history and references not always sought from previous employers.

In terms of how effective the care is, care plans were found to be incomplete and sometimes contradictory, with some clinical needs not identified or risks assessed, for example, in relation to diabetic foot care and pureed food consistency. Staff also lacked access to communication aids specified in care plans. However, staff were observed to be kind, polite, and respectful, and able to articulate residents' needs and preferences.

When it comes to how caring the service is, staff were observed to be kind, patient, and attentive. Residents and their relatives reported positive experiences, with some relatives describing the home as "Bright, welcoming, clean and comfortable with good food." Staff also expressed satisfaction with their roles and their care for residents.

In relation to how responsive the service is, while there was evidence of individuals being supported with basic care needs and staff demonstrating knowledge of residents' preferences, there were instances where specific care plan requirements, such as daily exercises or therapeutic activities, were not consistently met.

Finally, looking at how well-led the service is, there were widespread and significant shortfalls identified in leadership. Oversight and quality assurance processes were not always followed up consistently, leading to risks not being mitigated in a timely manner. Staff also lacked essential training, including in areas like learning disabilities and autism, and there were ongoing issues with the accuracy and completeness of records. Since the inspection, the provider has reported that training is ongoing and changes have been implemented to improve care delivery.