Willowdene Care Home

Updated 16 April 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 25 February 2021 and was announced.

Updated 16 April 2021

About the service

Willowdene is a care home providing personal and nursing care to 48 older people, at the time of inspection, including people who live with dementia. The service can support up to 52 people.

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

People told us they received a good service and felt safe with the support they received from staff. There was generally a good standard of hygiene. Risks to people’s safety including any environmental risks were well-managed. Where any improvements were identified at inspection, the provider sent an action plan immediately after the inspection with planned dates for action.

Appropriate checks were carried out before staff began working with people.

We have made a recommendation about the vetting procedures for new staff.

Staff said they were aware of their responsibility to share any concerns about safeguarding and the care provided. People's privacy and dignity were respected. Staff received training and support to help them carry out their role. People said they felt safe and were very positive about the care provided. Staff knew the people they were supporting very well.

People and their relatives were involved and supported in decision making. 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.

There was a good standard of record keeping to ensure people received care that met their needs. More information was required in people’s end-of-life care plans to ensure their wishes were met at this important time. Staff had developed good relationships with people, were caring in their approach and treated people with respect.

Arrangements for managing people's medicines were safe. People enjoyed their meals and their dietary needs had been catered for. Some improvements were required to people’s dining experience and to keep people who lived with dementia involved in decision making about their food. There were opportunities for people to follow their interests and hobbies. They were supported to be part of the local community.

Regular audits and checks were carried out. There were opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give their views about the service. Processes were in place to manage and respond to complaints and concerns. People and staff were positive about the management of the service and felt valued and respected.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 16 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.