Woodley Hall Care Home is a residential care home for 21 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of this inspection there were 19 people living at the home.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People and relatives told us they were happy with the care provided at the home. They also said the staff team were kind and caring.

People and staff felt the home was safe. Staff knew how to raise concerns if required.

Although staff felt more staff would be useful, staffing levels at the time of out inspection were appropriate to meet people’s needs.

The provider completed recruitment checks to ensure only suitable staff worked at the home.

Medicines were managed safely. Only trained staff administered people’s medicines and accurate records were maintained.

Staff carried out regular health and safety checks. There were procedures to ensure people received care in emergency situations.

Staff were well supported and received appropriate training.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to meet their nutritional and healthcare needs.

People’s needs had been assessed. The information gathered was used to develop personalised care plans. These were evaluated regularly keep them up to date.

Care staff provided opportunities for people to participate in activities in the absence of the dedicated activity co-ordinator.

Although people gave good feedback about their care, they also knew how to raise concerns if required.

The home had an established registered manager. People, relatives and staff said the registered manager was supportive and approachable.

There were opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give their views about the home and the care provided.

The provider carried out quality assurance checks to help ensure people received a good standard of care.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This was an unannounced inspection which took place over two days on 18 and 19 August 2015. This was the service’s first inspection since a change of registration in May 2014.

Woodley Hall Care Home is a 20 bedroomed care home in a residential area in the north of Newcastle. It provides care for up to 20 older people including people living with dementia. There were 15 people living at the service at the time of the inspection.

There was a registered manager who had been in post since the service was registered. 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 the service and that staff knew how to act to keep them safe from harm. The building and equipment were well maintained and there were regular health and safety checks undertaken by staff.

There were enough staff to meet people sometimes complex needs and the staff were trained, supervised and supported to effectively meet their needs.

Medicines were managed well by the staff and people received the help they needed to take them safely. Where people’s needs changed the staff sought medical advice and encouraged people to maintain their well-being. External healthcare professional’s advice was sought quickly and acted upon.

People were supported by staff who knew their needs well and how best to support them. Staff were aware of people’s choices and how to support those people who no longer had the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Families felt the service was effective and offered them reassurance that their relatives were being well cared for. Where decisions had to be made about people’s care, families and external professionals were involved and consulted as part of the process.

People were supported to maintain a suitable food and fluid intake. Staff responded flexibly to ensure that people maintained their physical wellbeing and worked with people as distinct individuals.

Staff were caring and valued the people they worked with. Staff showed kindness and empathy in responding to people’s needs. Families felt their relatives were cared for by a staff team who valued them and would keep them safe.

Privacy and dignity were carefully considered by the staff team, who ensured that people’s choices and previous wishes were respected. Our observations confirmed there was genuine empathy and warmth between staff and people living at the home.

People who were receiving end of life care had their needs appropriately assessed. Professional advice was sought where needed to promote advance care planning

The service responded to people’s needs as they changed over time, sometimes responding promptly to sudden changes in people’s needs. The service supported people to access appropriate support so the staff could keep them safe and well.

The registered manager led by example, supporting staff to consider the best ways to meet people’s needs. The registered manager regularly consulted families and staff to look for ways to improve the service and audits and regular reviews of care delivery were carried out.