CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Willow Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe, staffing levels met people's needs, risks were managed and medicines records matched stock balances. Inspectors found that recruitment checks had not always been recorded fully and recommended improvements.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive, person-centred culture. Managers used audits, meetings and feedback to monitor the service and make improvements.
What inspectors found, May 2023
Willow Lodge rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care, but staff recruitment records were not always complete.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 4 May 2023. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led because concerns had been raised about night staffing and medicines. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
People told inspectors they felt safe. There were enough staff to meet people's needs, medicines were managed safely, risks were assessed, and infection control arrangements were in place. Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect.
The home had a positive culture and worked with health professionals and families. Its checks and audits gave managers oversight of the service. However, recruitment procedures had not always been followed, so inspectors recommended stronger checks and record-keeping.
The overall rating was Good, as were Safe and Well-led. The other three areas were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were used when calculating the overall rating.
Enough staff
Inspectors found there were enough staff to meet people's needs, including support for independence and time out in the community.
“There were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were observed treating people with dignity and respect. People and relatives also gave positive feedback about the support provided.
“Staff interacted with people in a kind and considerate manner, treating them with dignity and respect.” from the report
Medicines managed safely
Staff followed safe procedures, medicines guidance was available, records matched stock and storage checks were completed correctly.
“Medication records were complete and matched stock balances.” from the report
Strong management oversight
Managers used audits covering areas such as accidents, incidents, medicines and people's care. Inspectors said these systems gave the provider oversight.
“Quality assurance systems were operating effectively. This gave the registered manager and the provider oversight of the service.” from the report
Support for independence
The home worked with health professionals and families to set goals, take positive risks and help people move towards greater independence where suitable.
“This helped people achieve increased independence through positive risk taking, setting goals and, where appropriate, to find their own accommodation if they so wished.” from the report
Recruitment records
needs fixingThe recruitment process was not always followed. Some staff files did not contain all the required information, so checks on suitability were not robust.
“Files did not always contain the information required, which meant checks to ensure the safe recruitment of staff were not robust.” from the report
- 01Have all staff files now been audited and brought up to date following the recruitment recommendation?
- 02What checks are completed before a new staff member starts, and how is this recorded?
- 03What changes were made after the concerns about night staffing?
- 04How do you check that medicines remain correctly recorded, stored and available?
- 05How are each person's rehabilitation goals and plans for greater independence reviewed?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings were carried over from the previous inspection when calculating the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 May 2023 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 2021
Willow Lodge is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised rehabilitation care with no breaches reported.
This was the first planned inspection since the home registered. One inspector visited on 25 and 26 August 2021, spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals, observed care and checked care, medicine, staffing and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People told inspectors they felt safe and enjoyed living at the home. Staff were described as patient, kind, respectful and familiar with people's needs.
The home supports people with brain injuries or neurological conditions. Inspectors found personalised rehabilitation plans, support to build independence, safe medicine management, suitable staffing and good links with health and social care professionals.
The report says there were no formal complaints since registration and no legal breaches were identified. Activities outside the home had been restricted by COVID-19 at the time, and the home was not providing end of life care.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe and enjoyed living at the home. Staff understood how to recognise and report abuse, and risks were regularly reviewed.
“People told us they felt safe and enjoyed living at 4 Harvey Road.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw warm and positive interactions. Staff knew people well and provided care in the way each person preferred.
“Staff treated people with patience, kindness, dignity and respect.” from the report
Rehabilitation and independence
People had individual rehabilitation timetables and goals. Staff helped them build skills for more independent living, including cooking, shopping and managing money.
“People received effective support that enabled their rehabilitation and supported them to progress to more independent living.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, administered and audited safely. Where suitable, people were supported to work towards managing their own medicines.
“Medicines were safely managed, stored and administered. People received their medicines when they needed them.” from the report
Strong partnership working
The home worked closely with health and social care professionals to respond to complex and ongoing health needs.
“The service worked collaboratively with external healthcare professionals and specialists.” from the report
Open management
People, families, staff and professionals spoke positively about the leadership. The home used audits, meetings and feedback to monitor quality.
“There was a clear management structure and people, relatives and staff spoke positively of the registered manager” from the report
Community activities were restricted
minorThe COVID-19 pandemic had reduced the activities people could do in the wider community. People were waiting to restart voluntary work when restrictions allowed.
“The COVID-19 pandemic had restricted the amount of activities people could undertake in the wider community” from the report
No current end of life arrangements
minorThe home was not supporting anyone with end of life care during the inspection. The manager said suitable systems and plans would be considered if people's circumstances changed.
“At the time of the inspection the service was not supporting any people with end of life care.” from the report
- 01How have opportunities for activities and voluntary work in the wider community changed since the inspection?
- 02How will you support my relative to work towards their own rehabilitation and independent living goals?
- 03How would you arrange and plan end of life care if my relative's needs changed?
- 04How are families involved in reviewing care plans and rehabilitation goals?
- 05How do you ensure staffing levels and staff training remain suitable for people's complex brain injury needs?
This was the first planned inspection and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 September 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 Lodge
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2021GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 7 April 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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37 live-in carers within about an hour of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
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 £1,340 a week. 26 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“We could not have managed without her calm, reassuring presence and practical knowledge and skill in caring and supporting both my husband and the family and I.”
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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.