We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of Willowcroft Care Home on 1 September 2016 and the service was rated as good. After that inspection we received concerns in relation to the safety and quality of the service provided at Willowcroft Care Home. As a result we undertook a focused inspection to look into those concerns. This report only covers our findings in relation to those areas. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Willowcroft Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We inspected Willowcroft Care Home on 6 and 7 March 2017. The inspection was unannounced. The home is a situated in Sutton in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire and is operated by Bank House Care Homes Limited. The service is registered to provide accommodation for up to 40 people. At the time of our inspection 36 people lived at the home.

There was a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons.’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Risks associated with people’s care and support were effectively assessed and managed. However we found that action had not always been taken to protect people from risks associated with the environment, as water temperatures were above the recommended safe level. Swift action was taken to minimise this risk during our inspection.

Although people were supported by staff who knew how to recognise abuse and how to respond to concerns, action was not always taken to reduce the risk of people being placed at risk of harm.

Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs and safe recruitment practices were followed.

People using the service and staff were involved in giving their views on how the service was run. Quality monitoring systems had not proved to be fully effective in identifying and responding to issues, action was underway to address this.

The management team were open and responsive to feedback and took swift action on the concerns identified during this inspection.

This inspection took place on 21 September 2016 and was unannounced.

Willowcroft Care Home is owned and managed by Bank House Care Homes Limited. It is situated in the market town of Sutton in Ashfield Nottinghamshire and offers accommodation and nursing care for to up to 40 people. At the time of inspection 37 people were using the service.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run

People who used the service and staff at Willowcroft Care Home knew who to report any concerns to if they felt anything untoward had occurred. People’s care records showed that any risk to their safety had been identified and measures were put in place to reduce these risks. There were enough staff with the right skills and experience to meet people’s immediate needs. Medicines were stored, administered and handled safely.

People were supported by staff who had received the training they needed to support people effectively. People had consented to the care that they received. People’s rights were protected because staff acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The principles of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were understood and applied correctly.

People spoke positively about the food they received. They were able to have choice in what they ate at each meal and received support to eat if required. People had regular access to their GP and also other health care professionals when required.

People were supported by staff who were caring and treated them with kindness, respect and dignity. Staff encouraged people to remain independent wherever possible and where people showed signs of distress or discomfort, staff responded to them quickly. There were no restrictions on friends and relatives visiting their family members.

People received the care they needed in a way that met their needs. We saw staff provide planned care well. There was a range of group activities provided which were aimed to cater for the majority of those living at Willowcroft Care Home. Care plans were written with the involvement of each person and their family. They were reviewed regularly to ensure staff responded appropriately to any change in need a person may have. A complaints procedure was in place and people felt comfortable in making a complaint if needed.

The atmosphere within the home was warm and friendly. People living in the home were asked for their opinions with regard to the service that they received, which meant that their views informed decisions to improve the service. Staff understood the values and aims of the service and spoke highly of the registered manager. The registered manager had clear processes in place to check on the quality of the service and to ensure that any improvements identified were made and sustained