Background to this inspection
Updated
14 December 2019
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
The inspection visit took place on 29 October 2019.
Inspection team
The inspection visit was carried out by an inspector and a specialist advisor. Our specialist advisor was a nurse with experience in dementia care.
Service and service type
Willow Brook Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
Our inspection was informed by evidence we already held about the service. We sought the views of commissioners from the local authority and from Healthwatch Nottinghamshire. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection visit we spoke with five people who used the service. We spoke with one relative, two care staff, the activity coordinator and the cook. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and the provider’s area quality director. We looked at a range of records related to how the service was managed. These included three people’s care records and how medicines were managed for people. We also looked at three staff recruitment and training files, and the provider’s quality auditing system. During the inspection visit we asked the registered manager to send us additional evidence about how the service was managed, and they did this.
Not all of the people living at the service were able to fully express their views about their care. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
Updated
14 December 2019
About the service
Willow Brook Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to 26 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. Willow Brook Care Home accommodates up to 49 people in one adapted building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke positively about the staff who supported them. People said staff treated them with respect, and relatives confirmed this. People said they were involved in discussing their care and support. Relatives felt informed about their family member’s care. Staff respected people's right to confidentiality.
People and their relatives felt the service was safe. Staff understood how to recognise and report concerns or abuse. People’s needs were assessed, and any risks associated with health conditions documented and reviewed regularly. Risks associated with the service environment were assessed and mitigated. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. People received their prescribed medicines safely. People were protected from the risk of infections. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and monitored to identify trends and to prevent reoccurrences.
People's needs and choices were assessed in line with current legislation and guidance in a way that helped to prevent discrimination. People were supported to have a varied diet that gave them enough to eat and drink. People were supported by staff to access healthcare services. The provider had taken steps to ensure the environment was suitable for people's needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People and relatives were positive about the support they had to take part in activities. People’s care was reviewed regularly with them and their relatives, and care plans were updated to reflect any changing needs. The provider had a system in place to respond to complaints and concerns.
People and relatives felt the service was well-led. Staff felt supported in their work, and there was a positive team attitude. The registered manager and provider understood their roles and responsibilities in relation to managing a registered care home. People said they felt involved in the home life and what went on there. Staff had developed links to other resources in the community to support people's needs and preferences.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (report published 31 May 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.