Willowbank Nursing Home

Updated 3 December 2020

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.

We received information of concern about infection control and prevention measures at this service. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 25 November 2020 and was unannounced.

Updated 3 December 2020

About the service

Willowbank Nursing Home provides accommodation and nursing and personal care for up to 53 people who are living with a dementia or mental ill health. There were 52 people living in the home at the time of the inspection.

Willowbank Nursing Home is an extended detached older property which has retained a number of original features. The home is set in a quiet residential area approximately a mile from Burnley town centre with shops, a post office, public houses and a bus route nearby. The home is set in 1.5 acres of gardens.

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

People were happy with the care and support they received and with the way the home was managed. They made positive comments about the registered manager and the staff team. The registered manager considered people’s views about the quality of care provided and used their feedback to make improvements to the service. All aspects of the quality of the service were monitored and appropriate action was taken to improve the service when needed. Lessons learned were discussed at management and staff meetings.

People felt safe and we observed staff being kind and patient. Staff understood how to protect people from abuse. Risk assessments were carried out to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. People received their medicines when they needed them and were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection.

Recruitment processes ensured new staff were suitable to work in the home. There were enough numbers of staff to meet people's needs and ensure their safety. All staff received appropriate training, supervision and support. Staff enjoyed working in the home and felt valued and supported.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People's care needs were assessed prior to them living in the home.

People enjoyed the meals and were supported to eat a nutritionally balanced diet. People had access to various healthcare professionals, when needed. People were happy with their bedrooms and with the communal areas. A development plan was in place to ensure ongoing refurbishment and redecoration.

Staff treated people with dignity, respect, care and kindness and knew people well. We observed positive and caring interactions between staff and people who lived in the home. Staff spoke with people in a friendly and patient manner and we overheard laughter and friendly banter. Staff knew about people’s routines and preferences to ensure they received the care they needed and wanted. People or their relatives, where appropriate, had been involved in discussions about care needs.

People enjoyed a range of appropriate activities and entertainments and links with local community groups had been developed to enhance people’s lives. People were supported to maintain contact with their friends and family. People could raise any complaints or concerns if they needed to and had access to a complaint’s procedure.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 24 May 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.