CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Woodhouse Cottage
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were assessed and managed, staffing levels were sufficient, recruitment checks were completed and medicines were given safely. Infection prevention and control arrangements were also found to be effective.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs and choices were assessed and reviewed. Staff were trained and supported, people were helped with eating and drinking and health appointments, and care was provided in line with the Mental Capacity Act.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Staff were highly motivated and compassionate. Inspectors found exceptionally person-centred care, trusting relationships, and consistent respect for people's dignity, privacy, choices and independence.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Care was tailored to each person and records were detailed and up to date. Staff supported individual interests, relationships, activities and personal goals, and people felt able to raise concerns.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had an open, inclusive and empowering culture. Inspectors found visible leadership, motivated staff, regular quality checks and systems for learning from incidents and feedback.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Rated Outstanding overall; inspectors found exceptionally caring and responsive support, with safe, effective and well-led care.
This was an unannounced inspection by two inspectors on 25 and 30 November 2021. They spoke with three people living at the home, a relative and four staff members. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff files, training information and management records.
The home supports up to six people with a learning disability. Five people were living there during the inspection. Inspectors found that people were safe, supported by trained staff and involved in decisions about their care. Medicines, risks, infection control and staffing were managed safely.
Inspectors rated caring and responsive support Outstanding. They found highly personalised care, strong relationships with staff, respect for privacy and dignity, and support for people's independence, interests and goals. Safe, effective and well-led were rated Good.
The overall rating improved from Good at the previous inspection, published in July 2018. Caring and responsive also improved from Good to Outstanding. No breaches of regulations or enforcement action were reported.
Choice and independence
People were supported to make their own choices and develop independence, while staff balanced this with managing risks.
“People were empowered to make their own choices and to maximise their independence, with the support of a highly motivated and committed staff team.” from the report
Kind and personal care
Staff knew people very well and built trusting relationships. Inspectors saw calm, kind interactions and sensitive support during difficult situations.
“The home had an extremely person-centred culture, with staff who were highly motivated and committed to ensuring people were treated well.” from the report
Support for personal goals
Staff helped people achieve individual ambitions, including developing interests, work opportunities and skills.
“Staff actively went above and beyond what was expected when supporting people to achieve their goals and aspirations.” from the report
Individual activities
Activities were based on people's interests and past experiences. People were supported with cooking, leisure, education and other meaningful opportunities.
“People were supported to access and engage in a range of work, educational and leisure opportunities, to achieve their identified outcomes and promote their own self-worth.” from the report
Good oversight
The manager and staff used audits, feedback and reviews to monitor care and identify improvements.
“Regular audits were completed to ensure there was compliance with the provider's expectations of high-quality care.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and manage the specific risks and triggers affecting my relative?
- 02How would my relative's one-to-one support hours be planned around their own preferences?
- 03What training and supervision would the staff supporting my relative receive?
- 04How would you support my relative's communication needs and involve them in decisions about their care?
- 05How would you help my relative pursue their own interests, activities, education or work goals?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control, and the care, premises and management of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 February 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, July 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with one staff background check needing attention.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 29 June 2018. One inspector spoke with people living at the home, staff and managers, observed care, and checked care, medicine, meeting and maintenance records.
The home supported six people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found people felt safe, staff knew their needs, and staffing was arranged flexibly. People were supported with healthcare, food, activities, choices and their independence.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same overall rating as at the previous inspection. Inspectors said there was no evidence of serious risks or concerns.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe and staff understood how to protect them while supporting their independence.
“All people we spoke with felt safe from harm and told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors found a calm atmosphere and staff who knew people's histories, preferences and important relationships.
“The atmosphere in the home was calm and relaxed. Staff interactions with people were kind and respectful.” from the report
Support for independence
People were supported to set goals, keep their interests and build confidence, including through work, learning and community activities.
“We saw some positive outcomes for people including learning to drive, building a network of friends and paid meaningful employment.” from the report
Personalised support
Care records explained how each person should be supported on good and bad days, and people helped shape their activities and care.
“Care records were written in a person centred way.” from the report
Open management
People and staff could give feedback, and managers used surveys, meetings and audits to identify and address improvements.
“The registered manager compiled all the feedback they had received into a 'You said, we did' document.” from the report
Repeated DBS check outstanding
needs fixingOne staff member had not had a repeat DBS check since 2011. The manager agreed that a formal check was required and said this was being discussed with the provider.
“However, we found one staff member had not had a repeated DBS check since 2011.” from the report
- 01Has the outstanding repeated DBS check been completed, and are all staff background checks now up to date?
- 02How is one-to-one staffing provided during the day, and what support is available at night?
- 03How are any restrictions on visits or contact with relatives and friends decided, recorded and reviewed?
- 04How will you support my relative's personal goals, hobbies and activities?
- 05How can my relative or family raise a complaint, and how will it be responded to?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the ratings remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 July 2018 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Woodhouse Cottage
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Outstanding.
- February 2022Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- July 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 8 December 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Leeds
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,250 a week. 89 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“Took his time to learn about me read my care plan and to listen to me. great companionship with lots of laughing.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.