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CQC report explained · a residential care home

What the CQC found at Willow Tree Lodge

Goodpublished 18 October 2017, 8 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Good
People were protected from harm, risks were assessed and medicines were managed safely. Inspectors found enough staff and suitable recruitment checks.
Effective?
Good
Staff had the training, supervision and support needed for their roles. People received support with decisions, food, drink and access to healthcare.
Caring?
Good
Staff were kind, calm and respectful. They knew people's communication methods, histories and preferences, and promoted dignity and independence.
Responsive?
Good
Care plans were detailed and personalised. People were supported with activities they enjoyed, daily choices and developing independence skills.
Well-led?
Good
The home had clear management cover and effective quality checks. There was no registered manager at the time because the previous manager had left and a replacement was being appointed.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, October 2017

Willow Tree Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care while a new registered manager was being appointed.

Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 11 and 12 September 2017. They spoke with the four people living at the home, staff, relatives and health and social care professionals. They observed care, including medicines, and checked care records, staff files, rotas, audits and other records.

All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, suitable training, good support with health and nutrition, and care that respected people's dignity, choices and independence.

The home had no registered manager because the previous manager had left. The area manager and positive support coordinator were providing management cover while a new registered manager was appointed. Inspectors found that management arrangements were working well at the time of the visit.

The overall Good rating means inspectors found a service that met the relevant standards and provided a good level of care. It remained Good, the same as at the previous inspection on 22 October 2015.

What inspectors praised
  • Safe staffing and medicines

    Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and saw medicines being given safely and respectfully.

    “Medicines were managed safely and administered as prescribed.” from the report
  • Kind and respectful care

    Staff knew people well and treated them with kindness, compassion, dignity and respect.

    “People experienced positive caring relationships with staff who consistently treated them with kindness and compassion in their day-to-day care.” from the report
  • Personalised support

    Care plans reflected individual needs and preferences. People were supported to take part in activities and build independence.

    “People's care plans were person centred and contained detailed support that identified how their assessed needs were to be met.” from the report
  • Quality monitoring

    The management team used audits and action plans to monitor care, safety and improvements.

    “Quality assurance systems were in place to monitor the quality of service being delivered, which were effectively operated by the management team.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • No registered manager

    minor

    There was no registered manager when inspectors visited because the previous manager had left. Management cover was in place while a new registered manager was appointed.

    “The service did not have a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01Has a new registered manager now been appointed, and how is the home managed in the meantime?
  2. 02How are staffing levels maintained when a member of staff is unexpectedly absent?
  3. 03How will you make sure my relative's care plan stays up to date as their needs change?
  4. 04How will my relative be supported to choose activities and develop independence skills?
  5. 05How will relatives be kept informed about changes in my relative's health or support?

This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall quality of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 October 2017 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Willow Tree Lodge

2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.

  1. October 2017Goodcurrent ratingstayed Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Willow Tree Lodge →

  2. December 2015Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    We are reading this report · the original is on cqc.org.uk

  3. January 2014

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. December 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. February 2011

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 22 February 2011.

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.

Next steps

Weigh the report against the rest

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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 £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.

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See live-in carers near HampshireProfiles, rates and reviews are free to look at.

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