CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Windward Way
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was preventing and managing infection risks. This included the use of protective equipment, testing, visitor checks, social distancing, cleaning and an up-to-date infection-control policy.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, November 2020
Lonsdale Midlands Ltd - Windward Way was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control practice.
This was a targeted, announced inspection on 23 October 2020. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control measures during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors found good practice. Visitors had risk assessments, staff worked within one bungalow, cleaning checks had increased, and people were supported to keep in touch with important people.
The home was assured on infection control, including visitors, social distancing, admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleanliness and managing outbreaks. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Visitor safety
Visitors were assessed when they arrived, with clear expectations based on current guidance.
“A risk assessment was completed when visitors arrived at the home. The assessment explained the expectation of visitors in line with current guidance.” from the report
Reducing cross-infection
Staff worked only in one bungalow, and people's clothing and bedding were washed separately.
“Staff were deployed to work solely within one bungalow. This reduced the risk of cross transmission.” from the report
Communication and wellbeing
Information was adapted so people could understand it, and people were supported to go out safely and keep contact with important people.
“People had been supported to maintain contact with people who were important to them which included video and telephone calls.” from the report
Cleaning checks
The home had increased cleaning schedules and added checks to monitor cleanliness and staff compliance with its infection-control policy.
“Cleaning schedules had been increased and additional audits had been implemented to monitor cleanliness and staff compliance with the providers infection control policy.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you currently assess visitors for infection risks before they enter the home?
- 02Do staff still work solely within one bungalow, and how do you reduce the risk of cross transmission?
- 03How often are cleaning schedules and infection-control audits reviewed?
- 04How do you support residents to maintain contact with people important to them?
- 05How do you provide infection-control information in a format my relative can understand?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only, and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 November 2020 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, October 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with stable management and no serious risks identified.
This was an unannounced inspection on 3 September 2018. Inspectors spoke with one person living at the home, one relative, the manager and two staff members. They also observed care and checked care plans, incident records, medicines, staff meeting notes and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicine arrangements, suitable recruitment checks and staff who understood people's needs. People appeared relaxed and were supported with kindness, dignity, choice and independence.
The report says the rating remained Good, as it was at the previous inspection. It found no evidence of serious risks or concerns. Families were involved in care planning, and communication with the manager was said to have improved.
Staffing and safety
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Staff understood risk assessments, safeguarding and safe medicine arrangements.
“There were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Kind and familiar care
Staff knew people well, including how they communicated and what could cause anxiety. Inspectors saw people being treated with dignity and reassurance.
“We saw people were relaxed and at ease around care staff.” from the report
Personalised support
Care was adapted to people's changing needs and personal interests. Families and people were involved in decisions about care, rooms and activities.
“People and their families were involved in helping arrange people's rooms.” from the report
Checks and improvement
The manager and provider checked care records, medicines and the environment. Staff were encouraged to suggest improvements and work with other services to understand people's needs.
“The provider and registered manager had effective systems to monitor how care at the service was provided” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you keep each person's risk assessments and care plans updated when their health or equipment needs change?
- 02How are families involved in best-interest decisions and in planning future or end-of-life care?
- 03How do you check that medicines are given correctly and that staff remain competent to support people with them?
- 04What has been done to maintain the management stability mentioned in the report?
- 05How do you find out what a person wants if they cannot communicate their views verbally?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, but inspectors spoke directly with one person and one relative and reviewed two care plans. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 October 2018 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Windward Way
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- October 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 9 December 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Solihull
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,250 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.