CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Willows
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, July 2019
The Willows is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with well-led improving from Requires Improvement.
This was a planned, announced inspection on 6 June 2019. One inspector observed all six people, including meals, activities and interactions with staff. The inspector also spoke with staff, health and social care professionals and a relative, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People could not tell the inspector directly how they felt because of their communication and support needs. The inspector therefore used observation and a structured observation method, as well as speaking with others.
The report describes enough trained staff, good risk assessments, safe medicines practice and a clean, accessible building. Staff supported people to make choices, build skills, communicate in different ways and take part in activities they enjoyed.
The overall rating stayed Good, as it was at the previous inspection in August 2016. The Well-led rating improved from Requires Improvement because audits, oversight and monitoring had become more consistent.
Detailed risk support
Staff knew people's risks and followed specific guidance for areas such as moving and handling, choking, epilepsy and anxiety. Inspectors saw this guidance being used safely.
“Risks to people were identified, monitored and continuously reviewed to ensure people remained safe.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff being friendly, calm and patient. People were supported with privacy, dignity, choice and independence.
“People's privacy, dignity and independence was continually promoted and encouraged.” from the report
Communication support
Staff understood how people communicated through sounds, facial expressions, behaviour, pictures, objects and signs. This helped people express choices and take part in decisions.
“Staff were knowledgeable about people's communication needs and there were detailed assessments highlighting support needs within their care plans.” from the report
Improved management checks
The report found that management systems had improved since the previous inspection. Regular audits gave the registered manager clearer oversight of care, incidents, medicines and staff records.
“During this inspection we saw the audit process had improved.” from the report
Individual activities and goals
People were supported to take part in activities linked to their interests, including swimming, horse-riding, cooking, holidays, concerts and community events.
“People were involved in activities that they enjoyed and that promoted their wellbeing.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you record and respond to each person’s non-verbal signs that they are happy, worried or feeling unsafe?
- 02How do you make sure medicine records remain accurate, particularly for as-required medicines?
- 03How many staff will support my relative during ordinary routines and when they go out for activities or appointments?
- 04How will you support my relative to develop independence and take part in activities that match their interests?
- 05What arrangements are in place if my relative needs palliative or end of life care?
This was an announced inspection covering all five CQC questions, as well as the building and the care provided; the previous overall rating was Good and the previous Well-led rating was Requires Improvement. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 July 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
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 April 2012.
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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19 live-in carers within about an hour of East Sussex
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 £1,000 to £1,400 a week. 13 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“When he point blank refused to go into hospital for a life saving blood transfusion she talked him through the situation and agreed to go in the ambulance with him and stayed until he was settled.”
“Una felt safe, secure and loved in her time with Debbie which is a gift that I am eternally grateful for.”
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.