CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Willows Edge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, including PPE, testing, safe admissions, cleaning, visiting arrangements and outbreak management.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, January 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and support for people's wellbeing during the pandemic.
This was a targeted, announced inspection on 12 January 2021. It looked at infection prevention and control because of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes.
Inspectors found the home was preventing visitors from spreading infection, using protective equipment safely, following distancing and shielding rules, and accessing testing. They were also assured that admissions and outbreak management were safe.
The home supported people's wellbeing during the pandemic. It provided a visiting pod, worked with families and professionals, and used extra staff and cleaning to reduce infection risks.
The service was inspected but not rated. This was not a full inspection of the home's overall quality.
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home used PPE safely, followed distancing rules, carried out testing and had arrangements to prevent or manage outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Family contact
The home provided a visiting pod and shared information with families about infections, visiting decisions and restrictions.
“The registered manager openly shared information with friends and family about any infections, so they could understand decisions regarding visiting and any restrictions.” from the report
Support for wellbeing
Staff worked with families and community professionals to support people experiencing low mood and anxiety during isolation.
“Staff worked with family members and community professionals to protect people identified to be experiencing low mood and anxiety, from the risks associated with social isolation.” from the report
Mobility and independence
Work with occupational therapists helped promote people's independence and mobility during the pandemic.
“Effective partnership working with occupational therapists had promoted people's independence and increased their mobility.” from the report
Staffing and cleaning
Staffing was above the level identified in the home's own analysis, and extra cleaning staff focused on high-risk and frequently touched areas.
“Staffing was maintained at a level significantly above that shown to be required by the provider's staffing needs analysis.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visiting arrangements and infection updates handled now?
- 02What staffing levels are in place on each floor, and how do they compare with the home's staffing needs analysis?
- 03How do staff currently support residents who experience low mood or anxiety because of isolation?
- 04How are occupational therapy recommendations used to maintain residents' mobility and independence?
- 05What visual aids and other resources are available for residents with dementia and sensory impairments?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under the Safe question; the service was inspected but not rated and the other areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 January 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.
What inspectors found, March 2020
Willows Edge was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some records needing improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 27 February 2020. One inspector spoke with people living in the home, staff and health professionals. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, clean surroundings and good support with food, drink and health needs.
People described staff as kind and respectful. Care plans reflected people's preferences, activities were available and complaints were investigated. Inspectors also found some records were not always clear, but the home acted on these issues during or shortly after the inspection.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe. The home had risk assessments, enough staff and safe recruitment arrangements.
“People told us they felt safe. Care plans contained risk assessments and informed staff how to reduce the risk of harm to people.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff as kind and compassionate. Inspectors saw people appearing relaxed and engaging positively with staff.
“People spoke positively of the staff. Staff were kind and compassionate and interacted well with people.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's preferences, routines and ways they wanted to be supported. Staff could describe people's individual needs.
“Care plans were person centred and included details of people's preferences for how they wanted to be supported.” from the report
Good activities and social contact
People could take part in a wide range of activities, including arts and crafts, trips, visits from animals and religious services.
“People were supported to take part in a range of activities in the home.” from the report
Improvements since the previous inspection
The home improved staff training and supervision and made significant progress with refurbishment to make the building more dementia-friendly.
“At this inspection we found that significant refurbishment work had been completed.” from the report
Some medicines guidance was incomplete
needs fixingProtocols for extra medicines did not always say when particular people might need them. The home amended some protocols after the inspection.
“Protocols for additional medicines people might require did not always detail when named people might require them.” from the report
Food and drink records were unclear
needs fixingSome charts did not show people's daily targets or enough detail about what they had eaten. New charts and checks were introduced after the inspection, and inspectors found no harm had occurred.
“The charts in use at the time of our inspection did not always specify the daily target for people and it was not clear how staff monitored the charts each day.” from the report
Behaviour records needed more detail
needs fixingRecords about periods of agitation did not show whether staff interventions had worked. An amended form was provided after the inspection.
“However, the charts did not include detail of whether the interventions staff made worked or not.” from the report
Some refurbishment remained unfinished
minorThe building had been substantially improved, but part of the garden still needed updating. Contractors were still working in the building during the inspection.
“One area of the garden had been updated and included recycled rubber flooring, and sensory planting. The remaining garden still needed updating.” from the report
- 01How are personalised instructions for extra or as-needed medicines now recorded and checked?
- 02How do you record each person's daily food and drink targets, and who checks these charts?
- 03How do staff record whether an approach used during agitation has helped?
- 04What refurbishment work remains in the garden, and when is it expected to be completed?
- 05How are families involved in advanced care planning and decisions about hospital treatment at the end of life?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection that assessed all five CQC questions; the Effective rating improved from Requires Improvement to Good and the other ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 March 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.
Every inspection of Willows Edge
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 28 January 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.
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
42 live-in carers within about an hour of West Berkshire
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. 36 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“Titus has compassion, patience, a great sense of humour and a very professional attitude.”
“Barbara treated my mother-in-law with enormous love and compassion and provided an environment where she could feel safe and seen”
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.