CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Willow House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and there were enough staff to meet their needs. Medicines were managed safely overall, but staff competency assessments were not always recorded.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had training and regular supervision. People received support with food, healthcare, consent and decision-making in line with their assessed needs.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives described staff as caring, kind and respectful. Staff listened to people and encouraged independence, privacy and personal choice.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and regularly reviewed. People were supported with activities, relationships, cultural and spiritual needs, and raising concerns, although sexuality was not always recorded in care plans.
- Well-led?
- Good
- People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management. Audits, meetings and feedback were used to monitor quality and make improvements.
What inspectors found, December 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring and personalised support, with some records needing improvement.
This was a comprehensive, announced inspection on 1 November 2018. The inspector spoke with five people, the manager and staff, then spoke with two relatives. They reviewed care plans, risk assessments, daily records, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home supported six people with a mental health condition and a learning disability. Inspectors found people felt safe, staff understood their needs, medicines were generally managed safely, and there were enough staff. People were treated with dignity, supported to make choices and encouraged to become more independent.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found no serious risks or concerns and said the evidence continued to support the previous Good rating. They recommended improvements to recording people's sexuality, staff medicine competency checks and lessons learned from incidents.
People felt safe
People and relatives said they trusted staff and felt secure. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and how to report abuse or poor care.
“People told us they trusted the staff team and felt safe at the service.” from the report
Kind and respectful support
Staff listened patiently and supported people with compassion. People were treated with dignity and encouraged to make their own choices.
“During the inspection, we observed meaningful conversations between staff and people, and staff supported people compassionately.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's needs, preferences, routines and communication methods. People and relatives were involved in planning and reviewing care.
“People's care plans were personalised, comprehensive and regularly reviewed.” from the report
Independence and activities
People were supported to learn daily living skills, access the community and take part in activities such as college, sport, shopping and holidays.
“People were supported to learn daily living skills and encouraged to remain as independent as they could.” from the report
Strong management checks
The home used audits, meetings and feedback to monitor care and safety. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management.
“There was a robust quality assurance system in place that enabled the management to drive continuous improvement within the service.” from the report
Medicine competency records
needs fixingStaff were assessed before giving medicines, but the home did not always keep a record of those assessments. The manager showed inspectors a new template intended to evidence this process.
“However, the provider did not always record staff's competency assessment.” from the report
Incident learning records
needs fixingStaff and management learned from incidents, but this was not always recorded clearly. The manager said future incident forms would include the lessons learned.
“Although the management and the staff team together learnt lessons from the incidents, these were not always recorded appropriately.” from the report
Recording sexuality
minorStaff asked people about sexuality and relationships sensitively, but this information was not always included in care plans. Inspectors recommended seeking guidance on better recording.
“However, people's sexuality was not always recorded in their care plans.” from the report
- 01How do you now record people's sexuality, relationships and related support needs in their care plans?
- 02How do you record and review staff competency before they give medicines?
- 03Can you show how lessons learned from accidents and incidents are recorded and acted on?
- 04How are people involved in choosing their weekly activities and reviewing their care?
- 05How do you make sure there are extra staff when people have appointments or outdoor activities?
This was an announced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, and all five ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 December 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 House
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
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 1 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 Enfield
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 £1,260 a week. 79 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Over the time he spent with them he got to know our parents very well and became like part of the family, even joining in family celebrations.”
“Charity would take Nan on holidays day trips and shopping adventures”
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.