Woodbury Court in Laindon, Essex, a residential home for people with physical disabilities, dementia and sensory impairments was rated outstanding for being well-led following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), 2 & 3 May 2018.
It achieved the score of good for the safe category.
The unannounced inspection took place in response to a concern raised regarding the quality of care people receive when they need medical intervention. No risks, concerns or significant improvement were identified in the other three key questions through on-going monitoring or during the inspection, so the CQC did not inspect them.
The CQC highlighted that staff knew how to keep people safe and protect them from safeguarding concerns. One resident said, "I definitely feel safe, staff are so good, only say something and they put it right."
Staff were trained and able to identify how people may be at risk of harm or abuse and what they could do to protect them. Staff were aware of the service's safeguarding and 'whistle-blowing' policies. One member of staff said, "If I had any concerns, I would report it to the manager or deputy, or I could go to the regional manager. If I needed to report it outside, I would go to the council or CQC." The registered manager worked with the local authority to fully investigate any concerns and protect people.
Champions were in place leading on aspects of people's care such as dementia awareness, health and safety and infection control. As Woodbury Court has developed so have new champion roles such as leading on falls prevention and ensuring people's walking aids are in good working order. As a result, maintenance work had been completed to minimise risks from general wear and tear on walking frames. This meant people had their equipment in good working order to support them and help prevent slips and or falls.
Another initiative involved adding fluorescent tape to some walking aids so that people could locate them more easily during the night. Staff where monitoring this to see if this also helped reduce falls.
