The Willows Nursing and Residential Home

Updated 7 April 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors and a nurse specialist advisor.

Service and service type

The Willows Nursing and Residential Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. The Willows Nursing and Residential Care Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the inspection we spoke with 7 people and 2 relatives of people who used the service. We also spoke with one visiting professional, 6 care staff members and the registered manager. We also reviewed several records including 4 care plans with associated risk assessments, 3 staff recruitment files, environmental audits and medicine administration records.

Updated 7 April 2023

About the service

The Willows Nursing and Residential Home is a residential care home providing the regulated activity personal and nursing care to up to 57 people. The service provides support to older people. At the time of our inspection there were 32 people using the service.

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

Some improvements were required to the physical environment. The building was safe, but was tired and in need of redecoration and maintenance in several areas.

Risk assessments were in place to manage risks within people’s lives, and staff understood how to manage risk. Staff recruitment procedures ensured that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out. Medicines were stored and administered safely, and staff had training in this area. Staffing support matched the level of assessed needs within the service during our inspection. Staff were supervised and felt confident in their roles.

People told us they enjoyed the food prepared for them, and food and fluid intake was monitored when required. Healthcare needs were met, and people had access to health professionals.

People were supported to have maximum 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.

The registered manager was open and honest, and worked in partnership with outside agencies to improve people’s support when required. Audits of the service were in place and had identified areas for improvement.

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

Rating at last inspection and update –

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 23 September 2022.)

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 1 August 2022. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well-led which contain those requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires Improvement to Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Willows Nursing and Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.