CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Willow Gardens Residential and Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People told inspectors they felt safe. Risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely, infection control measures were in place and there were enough suitably qualified staff.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs and choices were assessed and reviewed. Staff supported people's health, nutrition and oral care, and worked with other health professionals when needed.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors saw positive interactions and found that staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were supported to express their views and make choices.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and activities were available. Some care plans needed more information about people's preferences, and the manager was updating them.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Quality and safety were monitored through regular checks. Inspectors found an open culture, good partnership working and a clear focus on improvement.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Willow Gardens Residential and Nursing Home was rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, with some care plans needing more detail about preferences.
This was the home’s first inspection since it was registered in 2020. It was an unannounced visit on 20 October 2022. Two inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People told inspectors they felt safe and were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Inspectors also found enough staff, safe medicines arrangements, good infection control and appropriate support with health, food and drink.
The home provided personalised care and activities, and worked with other professionals when needed. Inspectors said some care plans did not yet contain enough information about people's preferences, although the manager was updating them. Good means the service was meeting the expected standards and providing consistently good care at the time of the inspection.
Kind and respectful care
Staff treated people as individuals and protected their dignity and privacy. Inspectors observed positive and meaningful interactions.
“People were supported by kind and caring staff who treated people as individuals and with dignity and respect.” from the report
Safety and staffing
Risks were identified and managed, medicines were administered safely, and the home had enough suitably qualified staff.
“There were enough suitably qualified staff to support people.” from the report
Health and nutrition
The home supported people's health, food and drink needs, including monitoring people at risk of malnutrition or dehydration and making referrals when needed.
“People at risk of malnutrition and dehydration received the support they needed.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could take part in meaningful activities and were supported to maintain relationships. Inspectors heard that people had enjoyed a recent trip to the zoo.
“People were given opportunities to take part in activities that met their needs and were meaningful and stimulating.” from the report
Management and improvement
The home had systems to monitor quality and safety, respond to incidents and use feedback to improve care.
“Effective quality assurance systems were in place.” from the report
Care plan detail
needs fixingSome care plans did not contain enough information about people's preferences. The manager was already working to update them.
“There was some improvement needed to ensure all care plans contained enough information about people's preferences.” from the report
- 01How will you make sure my relative's care plan records their preferences in enough detail?
- 02How often will my relative's care plan be reviewed if their needs or wishes change?
- 03How many permanent staff usually work in the home, and how often are agency staff used?
- 04What activities would be suitable for my relative, and how would you support them to take part?
- 05How would you respond if my relative's health, eating or drinking needs changed?
This was an unannounced first inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control, the premises and the care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 December 2022 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, February 2021
Willow Gardens Residential and Nursing Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control and safe visiting arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 27 January 2021. It focused on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home used personal protective equipment safely, followed shielding and social distancing rules, tested staff and residents, and had an up-to-date infection control policy.
The home was clean and hygienic. Cleaning took place regularly, and a screened, heated outdoor pod allowed family and friends to visit safely.
The home was inspected but not rated. This report does not give an overall rating or ratings for most areas of care.
Safe use of PPE
Staff wore, removed and disposed of PPE correctly and followed relevant national guidance.
“Staff were wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE), donning and doffing PPE correctly and disposing of used PPE safely” from the report
Regular testing
The home had a programme for frequent testing of staff and residents.
“A testing programme was in place to frequently test staff and people living at the home.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the environment clean and hygienic, with cleaning carried out regularly during the day.
“The environment was clean and hygienic. Cleaning schedules were in place and cleaning was frequently carried out throughout the day.” from the report
Safer family visits
The home had created a screened and heated outdoor pod for visits from family and friends.
“The home had built a screened and heated self-contained external pod to enable family and friends to safely visit people living at the home.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Is the screened and heated external visiting pod still available, and what visiting arrangements are currently in place?
- 02How often are staff and residents tested now?
- 03How are PPE use and disposal checked in practice?
- 04How often are communal areas and frequently touched surfaces cleaned?
- 05What is the current plan for preventing and managing an infection outbreak?
This was an announced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it was not a full inspection and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 February 2021 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 Willow Gardens Residential and Nursing Home
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Willow Gardens Residential and Nursing Home →
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Willow Gardens Residential and Nursing Home →
- March 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 July 2020.
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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38 live-in carers within about an hour of Sefton
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 £1,270 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
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.