CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Willow View Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, March 2024
Rated Requires Improvement overall; Safe was Inadequate and the home remains in special measures because inspectors found continuing risks.
Inspectors visited the home unannounced on 30 January and 8 February 2024. They reviewed care and medicine records, staff recruitment files and management records. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care and toured the home.
The home had improved since its previous Inadequate rating. Staffing levels were suitable, consent records had improved, staff were working better with health professionals, and people described staff as kind and caring. Activities, complaints handling and care planning had also improved.
However, important safety problems remained. Risk records were not always updated or followed, call bells were inaccessible, medicine records were unreliable, infection control guidance was not followed, and some people did not receive enough fluids or their required modified diets. The home's checks had not found or dealt with all these problems.
The overall rating changed from Inadequate to Requires Improvement. Caring and Responsive were rated Good, but Safe remained Inadequate and Effective and Well-led were Requires Improvement. The home remains in special measures and is due to be reviewed through another inspection.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors found that people's dignity, privacy and independence were promoted.
“People were treated with dignity and respect, and their independence was promoted.” from the report
More activities
A new activities coordinator had created a weekly programme, with individual time for people who preferred not to join group activities.
“A new activities coordinator had been recruited and a variety of activities were on offer.” from the report
Suitable staffing levels
There were enough staff on duty, supported by a new tool to help calculate staffing according to people's needs.
“There was a suitable number of staff on duty.” from the report
Improved consent arrangements
Signed consent forms, mental capacity assessments and best-interest decisions were now recorded where needed.
“Consent to care and treatment was now in line with law and guidance.” from the report
Better professional working
Staff were making timely referrals when they had concerns about people's health and wellbeing.
“Where concerns about people's health and well-being were identified, referrals to relevant professionals, such as the falls team, had been made in a timely manner.” from the report
Risks and call bells
seriousRisk assessments were not always updated or followed. Some call bells were inaccessible and other environmental risks had not been dealt with.
“We found trailing wires which could pose a ligature risk and nurse calls bell which were inaccessible to people.” from the report
Medicines
seriousRecords did not always match prescribers' instructions. Some bowel medicines were not given promptly and medicine audits did not reliably identify problems.
“Medicines prescribed to assist with bowel movements had not always been given in a timely manner.” from the report
Infection control
seriousDuring a Covid outbreak, information about positive cases was conflicting. People who had tested positive were seen in communal areas and staff did not always follow protective equipment guidance.
“People who were Covid positive were observed in communal areas.” from the report
Food and fluids
seriousSome people did not receive enough fluids, and staff did not always follow instructions for modified diets intended to reduce risks.
“Daily fluid targets were in place for people, but these had not always been achieved as not enough fluids had been provided by staff.” from the report
Weak quality checks
needs fixingThe home's audits and checks did not find all the shortfalls. Actions after some incidents and identified problems were not always completed promptly.
“Some of the quality assurance processes needed further development.” from the report
Recruitment records
needs fixingRecruitment processes were not fully followed. Some files were incomplete, and appropriate risk assessments were not always in place after DBS checks.
“Some gaps in recruitment records remained.” from the report
- 01What has been done to make sure risk assessments are updated after a person's condition changes and that staff follow them?
- 02How are you checking that medicines are given according to prescriber instructions and that bowel medicines are not delayed?
- 03During an infection outbreak, how will you identify affected people and make sure staff follow protective equipment guidance?
- 04How do you monitor daily drinks and modified diets, and what action do you take when targets are missed?
- 05Which problems from this inspection have now been fixed, and how will the manager and provider prove that improvements are lasting?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, with records, observations, interviews and a tour of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 March 2024 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, July 2023
Willow View Care Home is rated Inadequate and in special measures; inspectors found serious risks with medicines, staffing, records and management.
Inspectors visited on four days in May 2023. They reviewed care and medicines records, staff files and management documents. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care and toured the home. The inspection began because of concerns about medicines, staffing and quality checks, then widened into a comprehensive inspection.
The home was not safe. Risk assessments and care plans were missing or inaccurate. Medicines were not always available or given as prescribed. Fire exits were blocked, safety checks were incomplete, infection control was poor and staffing levels were sometimes too low. People were not always treated with dignity or involved properly in decisions about their care.
The overall rating fell from Requires Improvement to Inadequate. Safe and Well-led were rated Inadequate. Effective, Caring and Responsive were rated Requires Improvement. The home remained in breach of regulations from the previous inspection, and inspectors found that earlier recommendations had not been acted on.
People felt safe
People told inspectors that they felt safe living at the home.
“People did say they felt safe living at the service, and they enjoyed the activities on offer.” from the report
Caring regular staff
People and relatives spoke positively about regular staff and their caring approach.
“People spoke highly of their staff team and the care they provided.” from the report
Activities
Inspectors saw people enjoying activities, and relatives said there was usually plenty on offer.
“An activities program was on display in the service, and we observed people enjoying the activities on offer.” from the report
Contact with professionals
Staff did contact other professionals promptly when they had concerns about people's health.
“Staff had contacted other professionals in a timely manner when they had concerns about people's health.” from the report
Risks and fire safety
seriousSome people had no care plans or risk assessments for known risks. Fire exits were blocked and emergency evacuation plans were missing or out of date.
“Fire exits were blocked, and personal emergency evacuation plans were either not in place or did not reflect a person's current needs.” from the report
Staffing levels
seriousRotas showed that expected staffing levels were not always maintained. The dependency tool used to set staffing levels contained errors.
“There were numerous examples in April when staffing was below expected levels.” from the report
Dignity and personal care
seriousInspectors saw examples of poor personal care and said staffing shortages affected people's dignity, privacy and independence.
“In another bedroom we found faeces on the bedding which had not been replaced when the bed was made.” from the report
Consent and best interests
seriousSome consent forms were signed by people who lacked capacity or by people without legal authority. Best-interest decisions, including covert medicines, were not properly recorded.
“Where people lacked capacity, decisions made in people's best interests were not sufficiently recorded.” from the report
Weak oversight and records
seriousAudits did not identify serious problems, some had not been completed for months and records were missing important information. Earlier concerns had not been resolved.
“The issues found at the last 2 consecutive inspections had not been addressed and the service had further deteriorated.” from the report
- 01What immediate changes have been made to make sure medicines are always in stock and given exactly as prescribed?
- 02How are fire exits, emergency evacuation plans and other safety checks now monitored?
- 03How do you calculate the number of staff needed on each shift, and how do you check the information is accurate?
- 04How are missing care plans, risk assessments and monitoring records being completed and kept up to date?
- 05What changes have been made to management oversight and quality audits since the inspection?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection of all five key questions, widened from an inspection prompted by concerns about medicines, staffing and quality monitoring; infection prevention and control was also reviewed. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 July 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.
Every inspection of Willow View Care Home
7 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- March 2024Requires improvementcurrent ratingup from InadequateSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2023Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- April 2022Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2021Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 April 2015.
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
45 live-in carers within about an hour of Stockton-on-Tees
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 £1,190 a week. 40 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“I found Alison to be kind , caring helpful concencious... Alison has a heart of gold”
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.