Willow View

Updated 28 February 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection took place on 16 December 2019 and was unannounced. The inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

Willow View is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

What we did before the inspection

Prior to our inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included information from notifications received from the registered provider, feedback from the local authority safeguarding team and commissioners. We reviewed all the information we had been provided with from third parties to fully inform our approach to inspecting this service.

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and one of their relatives. Some people who used the service used non-verbal communication methods. As we were not familiar with their way of communicating we used different methods to help us understand their experiences. We spent time in the communal areas observing the care and support people received. We spent time looking at two people’s care plans and other records. We looked at three records relating to staff recruitment, supervision and training, and various documents relating to the service's quality assurance systems. We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, one senior support worker and three support workers.

After the inspection

Following our inspection, we spoke with three people’s relatives and received feedback from one community professional.

Updated 28 February 2020

About the service

Willow View is a care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to eight people who have a learning disability and who may have behaviour that may challenge others. There were eight people using the service at the time of our visit.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

Willow View was exceptional at placing people at the heart of the service. The manager and staff of the service had a strong focus on people having as many opportunities as possible to develop their confidence, gain new skills and become as independent as they could. One family member said, “[My relative] has a very good quality of life here there is no doubt about it.” A second family members aid, “I think it’s excellent.”

The outcomes for people using the service truly reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support in the promotion of choice, control, independence and inclusion. The registered manager constantly looked for ways to improve the service. They had engaged people with very complex emotional and behavioural needs in decisions and feedback at every opportunity and used therapeutic techniques to include people and respond to any issues that arose.

Relatives and people we spoke with during our inspection highly praised the service and the impact it was having. People were supported by staff who were determined to ensure people could make their own choices. Staff assisted people to make their wishes a reality.

There was a very positive culture in the service. Staff attributed this to the strong guidance in the service and believed the high levels of positivity in the service stemmed from outstanding leadership. People experienced excellent levels of staff support and interaction to lead fulfilling lives.

The service was safe and people were encouraged to live life to the full and enjoy taking supported risks.

People were supported to maintain optimum wellbeing and quality of life. Care plans were outcome focused, extremely detailed, accessible and based on robust assessments of need.

Relatives and professionals told us how people were highly valued, shown great respect and their dignity preserved. People were supported to have the optimum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were exceptionally caring. They all shared the same hopes and aspirations for people to continue to live the lifestyle of their choice. People’s voices were of paramount importance in the service.

People experienced life in a homely building with a relaxed family atmosphere, which maximised personalisation and social living. The service had a welcoming feel and great care and attention had been taken to ensure each person had a bespoke living environment, which took into account their likes, preferences and sensory needs.

There was clear and consistent working with other professionals who supported people and staff were pro-active and dedicated to promoted people’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

Recruitment practices for the service were safe. Staff were supported through induction, training, frequent observations and supervision.

The registered manager welcomed comments about the service. They had an accessible complaint’s process available to people. The service had not received any complaints.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at the last inspection

At the last inspection the service was rated good (last report published 13/06/2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor the service and re-inspect in line with the current rating. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.