Willow Tree Lodge

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. At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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.

Staff treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

People and their relatives were positive about the staff who provided support to people. One person said, “I find they're all lovely very kind and helpful.” A relative told us, “[There are] very kind staff. They take their time with [my relative], they don’t rush, they are patient. If [they] weren’t happy, [they] would say so. But [they are] very happy and content.” We observed staff spoke to people in a kind and calm way. Staff provided reassurance to people when they needed it and were attentive to people’s needs and comfort.

Staff told us how they promoted people’s privacy and dignity. “I respect the time of the day they want to have a wash or get shaved”. Another staff told us, “I close their curtains, shut their door, cover their body so they are not exposed, and I ask for their agreement before I do start”.

Staff 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.

People told us they were supported to spend their time where they wanted and could remain in their room if they wanted privacy. One person said, “I generally spend time on my own quite happy with my own company.” Another person said, “They will always knock on my door and say hello and are very respectful when giving me my personal care”.

The registered manager told us “We treat the residents like our own family; all of us working here have come from a strong culture of family and looking after our elders, respecting them, their wishes, their preferences.” Staff told us they enjoyed learning about people’s backgrounds and interests/hobbies. One staff member told us, “I saw a kite [bird] flying overhead the other day and that’s quite unusual for the area. I know a gentleman loved to bird watch, so I told him as soon as I saw it and we watched it together from his room.”

The registered manager and staff promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People told us, “I am encouraged by the staff to do as much as I can for myself” and “The staff know me well and encourage me to do as much as I can for myself”.

Staff told us how they promoted people’s independence. “I offer choices, for example, what to wear and alternative meals if they want something different. Another staff said, “Some people have adapted cutlery. I support a gentleman to brush his teeth by putting the toothpaste on the brush and giving it to him”. Another staff member told us, “I ask one lady which colour nail polish she wants today. One man can comb his hair at the front and I help him to comb the back.”

Staff 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. Staff told us they had enough time in their day to spend talking with people, engaging them in activities and supporting them if they were anxious or in distress. One relative told us, “Staff are very kind to people; one [person] gets distressed and keeps asks to go home and I watch staff distract [them] kindly and offer [them] a cup of tea.” When calls bells rang, they were responded to within a reasonable time frame. There were staff stationed on each floor to provide support to people who remained in their room, this enabled staff to monitor people who did not use the call bell and hear if people called for them.

We did not look at Workforce wellbeing and enablement during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.