Willowcroft

Updated 14 December 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.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and was unannounced.

Service and service type

Willowcroft 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. Willowcroft is a care home without 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

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

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.

During the inspection

We spoke with 1 person who is receiving a regulated activity and 1 relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 3 members of staff including the registered manager. We spoke with 1 informal advocate for Willowcroft.

We reviewed a range of records. This included care records and medicine records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures and audits were reviewed.

Updated 14 December 2023

About the service

Willowcroft is residential care home providing accommodation and personal care. The service is an adapted family style property that can accommodate up to 7 people. At the time of our inspection 6 people were living in the home. CQC only inspect where a regulated activity is being provided. One person was receiving a regulated activity.

People’s experience of the service and what we found:

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. One family member told us living at Willowcroft is the best thing that could have happened to their loved one.

One person said, “I am living a life of luxury at Willowcroft.”

Staff provided care that was safe, and risks were managed appropriately. This was because staff were well trained. There was a consistent staff team, who had been safely recruited. Agency staff were not required due to good staff retention.

Staff felt supported and the management team were always available. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities towards the person they supported and had passion in delivering person-centred care. The registered manager was receptive to how the focus in the care plans could be improved upon to include more about the character of the person.

Medicines were well managed. Systems were in place to monitor quality and learn from accidents and incidents.

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. The report was published 06 February 2018.

Why we inspected

We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Willowcroft 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.