CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Willows
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, effective and caring support, but activities and end-of-life planning needed improvement.
This was the home’s first inspection. It was unannounced and took place on 01 October 2019, 18 October 2019 and 22 October 2019. Inspectors spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and a visiting healthcare professional. They also observed care and checked care records, staff files and safety records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led were all rated Good. Inspectors found people were protected from abuse, medicines were managed safely, staff were trained and supported, and people were treated with kindness, dignity and respect.
Responsive was rated Requires Improvement. Inspectors found that people did not always have meaningful activities during the day. End-of-life care plans were also not in place for everyone. The manager had identified these issues and was working on improvements.
People felt safe
People and relatives told inspectors they felt safe. Staff understood how to recognise and report possible abuse.
“People told us they felt safe. Comments included, "I really feel safe in this home. The staff do everything and more than I need, they are brilliant!” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors observed staff treating people with care and kindness. Staff supported privacy, dignity, independence and familiar routines.
“Throughout the inspection we observed staff treating people with care and kindness. Staff were engaging with people and demonstrated compassion in their interactions.” from the report
Good care planning
Care plans contained personalised information about people's needs and preferences. People and their representatives were involved in decisions about care.
“Care plans were person-centred and contained information to guide staff on how to deliver care and support.” from the report
Good support with food and health
Staff understood people's dietary needs and preferences. People were supported to access healthcare professionals when their needs changed.
“People were positive regarding the choice and quality of the food available. One relative said, "The food is very good. Staff go out of their way to provide the food [name of person] likes.” from the report
Supportive management
Quality checks and action plans were used to monitor the home. Staff said they felt supported and confident to raise concerns.
“Quality assurance audits and checks were carried out by the registered manager to monitor the quality of the service.” from the report
Too few meaningful activities
needs fixingThere was no activities co-ordinator, and staff were often busy with other tasks. Inspectors saw periods when people were not engaged in meaningful activities and recommended a full review of activities.
“However, throughout the inspection we observed periods where people were not engaged in meaningful activities as staff were busy completing other tasks.” from the report
End-of-life plans incomplete
needs fixingEnd-of-life care plans were not in place for everyone. The manager was speaking with people, relatives and health professionals to put the plans in place.
“End of life care plans were not in place for all people using the service.” from the report
- 01What regular meaningful activities are now available, and how are they matched to each person's interests and abilities?
- 02Who is responsible for organising activities when staff are busy with other care tasks?
- 03Has an end-of-life care plan been discussed and recorded for my relative, and who will review it?
- 04How do you check that care plans remain up to date when a person's needs change?
- 05How do you decide whether there are enough staff on each shift if you do not use a formal dependency tool?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided; it was the home's first inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 November 2019 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 The Willows
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- November 2019Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- October 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 2 October 2018.
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.
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23 live-in carers within about an hour of Northumberland
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 £950 to £1,190 a week. 20 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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.