CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Willow Grange Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, December 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 16 December 2020. Inspectors checked infection prevention and control practices because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The home could accommodate 46 people, and 29 people lived there at the time.
Inspectors were assured that visitors were protected, people were admitted safely, and staff used protective equipment properly. They also found suitable arrangements for testing, social distancing, cleaning, managing outbreaks and keeping the infection control policy up to date.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit checked a specific area and did not provide an overall quality rating.
Visitor safety
The home had a COVID-19 protocol setting out how visits should take place safely and in line with guidance.
“A Covid-19 protocol was in place. The protocol detailed the safe practice requirements of visitors during the pandemic to ensure visits took place in line with current guidance.” from the report
Keeping families in touch
People were supported to stay in contact with important people through video calls and social media updates.
“People were supported to maintain contact with people who were important to them in a variety of ways.” from the report
Support for faith
Weekly Bible reading sessions helped people continue practising their religion when places of worship were closed.
“Weekly bible reading sessions took place which supported people to practice their religion.” from the report
Staff infection precautions
Staff did not wear uniforms outside the home, and the home could launder uniforms. The risks linked to public transport were also considered.
“Staff did not wear their uniforms outside of the home to minimise the transmission of Covid-19.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visitors currently screened and supported to prevent infections?
- 02How often are staff and residents tested, and what happens if someone tests positive?
- 03How are protective equipment, cleaning and social distancing arrangements checked?
- 04What ratings or inspection findings apply to caring, effective, responsive and well-led care, which this visit did not rate?
This was an announced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control practices only, so the service was inspected but not rated overall. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 December 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, September 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some care records needing clearer detail.
This was a comprehensive, unannounced inspection on 1 August 2018. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed five care records, two staff files and the home's quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, staff were available, medicines were given safely and staff understood their needs and preferences.
Inspectors found a warm and friendly atmosphere. People were supported to keep relationships, attend activities and worship, and have their care planned with them. The home had systems for handling risks, complaints and quality checks.
The home was still rated Good, as it had been at the January 2016 inspection. Inspectors noted that some care plans did not clearly show which decisions people could make for themselves. The manager agreed to address this, and the CQC rating was put on display after inspectors raised it.
People felt safe
People said staff were available when they needed help. Inspectors found safeguarding, risk management, emergency planning and recruitment checks were in place.
“People felt safe living at Willow Grange.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors found a warm and friendly atmosphere. Staff respected people's privacy, dignity, choices and important relationships.
“The atmosphere at Willow Grange was warm and friendly.” from the report
Personalised support
Staff knew people's routines and preferences and used this knowledge to provide individual care. People were involved in planning and reviewing their care.
“Staff knew people well and were responsive to their needs.” from the report
Activities and community links
People could choose from different activities and were supported to maintain links with the local community and their places of worship.
“People chose to take part in social activities which they enjoyed.” from the report
Strong management checks
The management team was described as approachable and supportive. Audits and feedback were used to monitor quality and plan improvements.
“There were effective systems to monitor and review the quality of the home.” from the report
Some mental capacity records were unclear
needs fixingCare plans included mental capacity assessments, but did not always clearly explain which decisions people could make for themselves. The manager said this would be addressed.
“People's care plans contained mental capacity assessments but it was not always clear what decisions people could make for themselves.” from the report
Rating was not displayed inside
minorThe latest CQC rating was displayed on the website but was not displayed in the home when inspectors visited. The manager took immediate action after this was raised.
“However, the rating was not on display with thin the home.” from the report
- 01How have you made sure care plans clearly record what each person can decide for themselves?
- 02How often are care plans reviewed with the person and their family?
- 03How do you check that staffing levels remain enough when people's needs change?
- 04How do you use complaints, meetings and questionnaires to make improvements?
- 05Can you show me how medicines are checked and how staff competence is kept up to date?
This was a comprehensive, unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the ratings remained Good from the January 2016 inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 September 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 Willow Grange Care Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 February 2014.
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.