Willows Care Southern Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first assessment for this service following a change of provider. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care. Staff treated people with kindness and compassion and responded to people’s immediate needs. People were supported to be as independent as possible.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Relatives told us, “All the staff I have dealt with are very kind and they know all about her and they tell me what she is doing and how she is. They are kind and get to know her.” Another relative told us, “I would say that the staff are very kind and caring and compassionate. I am always offered a cup of tea, they say hello to Mum, they like her, they are fond of her.” We observed people being treated with kindness and people were happy to see staff, smiling and chatting with them. Staff knocked on doors before entering people’s rooms and spoke to people quietly in the communal areas to maintain privacy. One relative told us, “Very respectful and careful of her privacy and dignity. They ask me to leave her room when they are assisting her with personal care.”

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. Staff understood people’s preferences, we observed people being supported in the way they preferred. For example, one person liked to eat their pudding first, staff accommodated this. Other people were supported to be independent by being given finger food, which they could manage. People’s spiritual and cultural needs were met. Staff understood and it was documented in people’s care plans, specific religious needs. Relatives told us, staff followed these requests. People had been asked to complete personal histories and relatives commented staff knew about people’s childhoods, likes and dislikes.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Relatives told us, people had been asked about their choices and preferences, including a bath or shower when they wanted and the gender of carer they preferred. We observed people being encouraged to be as independent as possible including mobilising with mobility aids and supporting them by cutting up food to eat independently. People’s choices were recorded in people’s care plans and reviewed regularly to check they were still relevant. Relatives confirmed they could visit their loved one whenever they wanted. There was an activities co-ordinator in post, they organised activities which people liked to do including singing, games and going out, people went out to the local café. People who spent their time in their rooms, either through choice or due to care needs, were offered activities in their room.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. People’s care plans included guidance for staff about how to support people when they were anxious or distressed. Staff described how they supported people with their needs and understood people’s individual trigger points such as blocking their view out of the window. There was guidance about the most effective way to de-escalate a situation including involving people in an activity or just sitting in a quiet room for a chat. Staff understood what was important to them such as having their handbag, coat or hat with them. Staff noticed a person did not have their handbag. They asked the person, "Where is your handbag?" the person did not seem to know. Staff chatted with another carer, "It's unusual for (person name) not to have their handbag with them. We must keep an eye on them, maybe they are not feeling ok."

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt supported by the manager and provider. Staff received regular supervision to discuss their practice and any concerns they may have. Staff told us there were enough staff and their workload was manageable. The manager worked with staff to make sure they had a work pattern which suited their other commitments. A staff member told us, “I have been given a fair chance and opportunity. They treat me fairly. I did my degree while working here. The provider supported me through it. They put me on a flexible contract to allow me to study and work.” The provider ensured staff were made to feel valued, including being given a box of chocolates on their birthday and at Christmas with a monetary bonus.