Willowbrook View

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. This key question has been rated outstanding.

This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 100 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive. One relative told us, “[Person] flourished, blossomed under the care, they were bedridden, and couldn’t feed themself. They supported with showering, having their hair and nails done and they smelt so lovely. They encouraged them to eat and monitored the weight, food and drink. My experience is it is outstanding, the reasons being I felt my expectations were more than met and the staff were outstanding in their care.” Another person said, “[Person] formed really good bonds with some of the carers. Staff are very good with personal care.”

Observations of care showed staff consistently interactingwith people in a highly respectful, patient and dignified manner. Staff and leaders took time to engage meaningfully with people, offering reassurance, encouragement and support tailored to individual needs. Interactions were warm, unrushed and focused on maintaining people’s comfort and wellbeing.

Staff demonstrated exceptional caring values through their communication, consistently treating people as equals, and always promoting dignity. They adapted their approach to suit everyone, ensuring people felt valued, understood and respected. Leaders told us that staff practice in this area consistently reflected the organisation’s values, with high expectations clearly established. Staff spoke positively about being held to these standards and expressed pride in working for an organisation where kindness, compassion and dignity were central to the culture and demonstrated by all, including leaders.

One professional told us, “The staff treat people with kindness and compassion, and I am always treated with respect.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People were actively supported to take part in a wide range of personalised activities, which had been co-produced with people and their relatives. Activities were thoughtfully designed to reflect individual interests and abilities, including tailored dementia-based activities that built on people’s strengths and reduced the risk of frustration or distress.

The provider went above and beyond to create meaningful and memorable experiences. One example included a Mother’s Day celebration. People could invite guests to enjoy a three-course meal, creating a special and inclusive occasion for families.

Cultural preferences were also recognised and celebrated, such as a St Patrick’s Day event which was arranged in response to several people’s Irish heritage. People’s spiritual needs were respected, with regular religious services arranged in line with individual preferences.

Staff demonstrated a detailed knowledge of the people they supported,confidently describing how they tailored care to meet individual needs and preferences. This ensured people received care that was not only responsive but meaningful to them. People’s records clearly reflected how people wanted to be treated based on their preferences.

Staff were supported with in-house, face-to-face dementia training,focusing on identity, purpose, personalisation and connections being meaningful. One staff member told us the training, "Really supports staff to prepare for working with vulnerable people."

At the time of the inspection relatives were getting involved in delivering aspects of the training, to share their lived experiences to further enhance staff understanding and knowledge. Feedback from an external professionals included, “I’ve worked with plenty of care homes and I wish everyone was like this. Staff are really attentive to people and their individual needs.”

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were actively supported to maintain their independence in a safe and enabling way. We observed individuals confidently mobilising with the use of walking aids, while staff walked alongside them in a supportive but non-intrusive manner, allowing people to retain control of their movement while ensuring their safety. This demonstrated a strong understanding of positive risk-taking and promoting independence without unnecessary restriction.

The provider also recognised the importance of relationships and connection. People and their relatives told us they could visit at any time and stay as long as they wished and were given complimentary food and drinks. This approach enabled people to maintain meaningful relationships and a sense of normality, contributing positively to their emotional wellbeing and sense of home.

One relative told us, “The service is exemplary. My [relative] is given choice. Staff ask and encourage them to join in activities but always respected if they didn’t want to.”

Staff took time to engage meaningfully with people, offering genuine choices and supporting them to make informed decisions whilst fully respecting their preferences. For example, we observed one person living with dementia appearing unsure when choosing a dessert. A staff member responded with patience and sensitivity, offering small samples of each option. This thoughtful approach enabled the person to make an informed choice independently, maintaining control in a way that was tailored to their needs.

The provider was exceptional in how they 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.

We observed numerous meaningful and respectful interactions where staff responded to people’s immediate needs. For example, when 1 person expressed, they were in pain, a staff member responded immediately, calmly and compassionately. They supported the person to move comfortably to a chair, took time to ask open questions about the nature and location of the pain, and listened attentively to their response. The staff member then promptly checked medication records and returned within minutes to clearly explain the next steps, offering reassurance and support. This interaction ensured the person’s needs were understood and addressed without delay.

We also observed staff responding proactively and intuitively to people’s behaviours and cues. For example, when 1 person appeared unsettled and was walking around, a staff member gently engaged them by saying, “[Person’s name] shall we have a sit down, would you like to sit here?” This interaction showed familiarity, respect and understanding of the person’s needs, helping to reduce anxiety.

Staff consistently told us they had sufficient time to respond to people’s needs in a meaningful way, which enabled them to go beyond task-based care. Night staff particularly highlighted their ability to respond to people’s emotional needs, including spending time providing reassurance and companionship to those who were unsettled. One staff member told us, “One person was in emotional distress recently and was crying. I approached them sensitively, ask if they were alright, I comforted them, listened and offer companionship in that moment. We can sit with them until they are okay - we have time to do that here.” This demonstrated a culture where responding to people’s emotional wellbeing needs was valued equally to physical care.

Relative’s provided positive feedback which included, “What I like is that there is always someone available to talk to. At the front desk there'd be a note saying who was in charge that day.”

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff consistently told us they felt supported both professionally and personally, and described the service as a positive, inclusive and nurturing place to work. Staff feedback confirmed leaders were supportive, responsive and genuinely invested in their wellbeing and development.

Staff were actively encouraged to speak openly about their wellbeing, and leaders responded with compassion, understanding and practical support. This created a psychologically safe environment where staff felt confident to raise concerns and seek support when needed.

Staff were given the tools, training to perform their roles effectively and to grow within the organisation. There were clear development pathways, including opportunities for career progression. Staff told us they were encouraged to build on their strengths and pursue areas of interest, which increased their confidence, skills and job satisfaction. Staff consistently told us they had sufficient time to carry out their roles effectively

Teamwork was strong across the service. Staff described a culture of mutual respect, collaboration and shared accountability, where everyone worked together to achieve the best outcomes for people. New staff were well supported through structured inductions and buddy systems, ensuring they felt confident and integrated into the team from the outset.

The provider had a wide range of wellbeing initiatives, including access to a bespoke benefits package.