The Willows Care Home

Heathercroft, Great Linford, Milton Keynes MK14 5EG
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9.7 136 Reviews
  • The Willows Care Home, Milton Keynes
The Willows Care Centre is located in Great Linford which is a village with the Grand Union Canal running through its centre just a few miles from central Milton Keynes.

Set in spacious, peaceful grounds the home has en-suite rooms and extensive communal areas and provides the highest standards of care and accommodation for people with residential, dementia, nursing or palliative care needs.

The Willows makes the most of the diverse local amenities. A short walk from the home there is a local centre which has shopping opportunities, eateries and a coffee shop. Two public houses offering food and refreshments are also within walking distance. The local duck pond is only a stone’s throw away form the home and provides a tranquil setting to watch the local wild life.

The Willows has lounge and dining areas with kitchenettes on each floor where meals are provided by a chef and their team who can cater for all specialist diets.

In addition, there are numerous quiet areas around the home, a conservatory and a hairdressing salon. There is also a large enclosed garden which is accessible to wheelchair users.

Reminiscence is key to wellbeing and The Willows has three reminiscence shops within the grounds to take the people living there on a trip down memory lane. The dynamic and engaging activities team provide wide and varied opportunities for social engagement tailored to the choices of the individual.

Due to the peaceful setting of the home it is difficult to imagine it is so close to the centre of a busy city. There is good public transport links to the home with a bus stop just outside the main gates.

A warm welcome awaits anyone at any time of day with no visiting restrictions, young and old alike the more the merrier.

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Care Provided

Type of Service

    Nursing Home
  • For a maximum of 130 Service Users

Primary Care Categories

  • Older Person Care
  • Dementia
  • Physical Disability
  • Visual / Hearing Impairment
  • Permanent Care
  • Respite Care

Other Care Provided

  • Palliative / End of Life Care

Facilities

  • Own Furniture if required
  • Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
  • Close to Local shops
  • Near Public Transport
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair Access
  • Gardens
  • Residents Kitchenette
  • Phone Point in own room
  • Television point in own room

Funding & Fees

Weekly Charges per Person

  • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Care: from £1450

These prices are only a guideline, please contact The Willows Care Home to find out the exact price for your requirements.

Support you may be entitled to

If you chose a care home based in England, you may be eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC), which helps cover the cost of nursing. This is worth £254.06 per week and is usually paid directly to the care home.

Good to Know

Group/Owner

Person in charge

  • Sahr Mosery (Home Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Criteria

  • Ages 60+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: Yes

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (130)

Visiting

  • Visitors welcome at any time.

Parking

  • On site parking for visitors.

The Willows Care Home Reviews (136)

Total of 136, showing 41-60
9.7

The Willows Care Home has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.721) out of 10, based on 47 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The Willows Care Home has 136 reviews.

Overall Experience

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  • 25
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Date Published

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Review from Colin B (Son of Resident) published on 26 January 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My mother came to you after a spell in hospital after a fall. At 100 years old, the hospital more or less said she would not walk again. After six weeks with you, she is walking well with a frame - thanks.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your review, that's so good to hear of her progress with us. The well-being of the people who live here is our priority and to hear this is very satisfactory.

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Review from Fiona L (Daughter of Resident) published on 26 January 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mum has been staying at The Willows Care Home for a few weeks now. She has settled in so well and is so happy! The carers are so kind and helpful and Mum has a great relationship with them. She has fun and really enjoys the activities. The staff and managers are so helpful and are always there to
listen and support you. It has a lovely, calm, homely feel and when I visit, it feels like home from home! It makes me so happy to see my mum happy and very much settled. I can't thank the staff enough for all their help and support looking after Mum!

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. It's lovely to hear she is so happy and settled here. I will pass your comments on to our team. Thank you.

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Review from J W (Niece of Resident) published on 16 November 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a bright and cheerful environment with pleasant staff. My aunt was warm and comfortable. Her room is pleasant with a view of the garden. There were several patient notes on the walls noting how my aunt should be addressed and what her personal needs are. I felt that she is in a comfortable and
caring environment.

Reply from Celia Hardill, Regional Director (Milton Keynes) at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your kind response to the Willows and we are happy to hear that things are going well for your aunt and being well looked after. If you need anything please let me know. Take care Celia.

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Review from Bekki O (Daughter of Resident) published on 27 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Lovely, friendly care home with a great team.
The room that my mum had was spacious and airy. She was able to take whatever she wanted to make it more personal.
She was a very private person who didn't take advantage of the countless activities that they have on offer.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your review; we always enjoy seeing people's rooms made personal; and we understand although activities are available, it is
totally a personal choice.

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Review from Lauren G (Great-Niece of Resident) published on 26 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

After visiting my great aunt on several occasions, my family and I have been left very satisfied. She is well taken care of with all of her requirements being met and exceeded. The staff are very helpful, polite and professional. The care home is very clean and tidy throughout too.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for sharing your experience with us. Reviews are always welcome and it's very warming to hear that you are very satisfied with our home.

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Review from K B (Wife of Resident) published on 19 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

This Home should be shut down. My Husband went there in April for respite. He has vascular Dementia and is Insulin-dependent. Beginning of the stay he fell out of bed. He wasn't checked enough 2 hours before he was and was found unconscious. An ambulance was called his blood sugars went down to one.
My daughter arrived to find this going on. He was taken to hospital luckily he was okay.
They have a Dementia area which was upstairs he wasn't put there I was told that's for permanent residents. My Husband was put on the ground floor with all bed-bound residents. We contacted CQC and put a safeguarding on. Also, paramedics said they would report it! And they are still allowed to carry on as normal. So if you care for your loved ones, don't send them there.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

We appreciate your feedback regarding your husband's stay at our care home. The safety and well-being of the people who live here is our top priority, and we take all incidents seriously. We acknowledge that a comprehensive investigation was conducted when you initially expressed your concerns, and the results of this investigation were provided to you on 16th May 2023.

Our team is wholeheartedly committed to continually enhancing our services and ensuring the highest quality of care, and for this reason, we've had numerous respite stays that transitioned into permanent arrangements at The Willows. If you would like to discuss this matter further, we welcome you to contact our leadership team directly who will be happy to meet with you.

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Review from K H (Respite Resident) published on 31 August 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have had an excellent respite stay at the Willows Care Home. There is little I can fault. All the staff nurses, carers etc have not faultered on looking after me, keeping me safe and made feel like part of the family. I only wish I could have stayed a little longer.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely review; we are so happy to hear you enjoyed your stay with us. Your comments will be shared with all our team members who will be most grateful. Thank you

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Review from Jennifer H (Daughter of Resident) published on 3 August 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5

Not qualified to look after ill patients, they seem short staffed and too many patients. Seems they put you in a bed and leave you. I turn up, my mum's awake, television off, meal times feeding her large spoons. I told them small portions, didn't even listen. Not checking if you are drinking regularly,
drinking shakes, drinks just left on the side, no communication either.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your review. We take your concerns very seriously, as it is our utmost priority to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of the people who live or stay at The Willows and their families.
We genuinely regret any inconveniences or discomfort your family may have experienced during your mother's time with us. Please know that we are committed to providing the best possible care and continuously strive to improve our services.
To address your concerns, we have written to you requesting a meeting with our Regional Director who is well-equipped to discuss, investigate, and improve on any issues you may have encountered during your mother's stay.
Our objective is to create a positive and supportive environment for people and their families, and your feedback is invaluable in achieving this. We assure you that any grievances you bring to our attention will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and sensitivity.

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Review from S H (Daughter of Resident) published on 7 June 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The Willows Care Home have been wonderful with my mum. Excellent care. Thank you.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you very much for the lovely review. We always value feedback and will be sure to let our team members know.

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Review from Jane D (Daughter of Resident) published on 17 May 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My father went into The Willows Care Home from the hospital for respite. He stayed for three weeks. The staff were amazing and Dad loved them all, they even all came out to say goodbye to him when he left today. I cannot thank the team enough for getting my dad back on his feet and able to go home after
three weeks of their care.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

We very much appreciate your kind review and it's lovely to hear your dad is continuing to do so well.

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Review from J H (Resident) published on 10 May 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I love my stay on the unit, they are all lovely.

Reply from Celia Hardill, Regional Director (Milton Keynes) at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your review and it is lovely to hear that you are happy in the home.

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Review from Susie H (Wife of Resident) published on 4 May 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My husband has used The Willows for respite care for many years. The staff are so kind to him. and he doesn't mind going for his regular two-week stay. The new room he had this time was beautiful; you have done a great job for an overdue refurb. The furniture and the new floor, the bed, the curtains
and the colours on the walls... superb! Thank you.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you so much for your kind review; it's our pleasure to welcome your husband on his short stays with us and are very pleased that you like the new room.

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Review from J M (Husband of Resident) published on 4 May 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The home had a friendly feel and all the staff were caring and helpful, nothing was too much trouble.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for your review, I will be sure to pass on your kind comments to our team.

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Review from A G (Resident) published on 20 April 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are ready and helpful. The manager is always helpful and caring.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your lovely review. I shall ensure your kind words are passed on to all of our team members.

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Review from S M (Resident) published on 20 April 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been very comfortable here. The staff and carers etc have been lovely, very caring, helpful and always cheerful. Everything is kept very clean. The food is nice. Overall, nothing but good.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you so much for your kind review. It is our greatest pleasure to ensure you are comfortable and well cared for.

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Review from Daphne H (Sister of Resident) published on 25 March 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My sister has been in the excellent care of The Willows Care Home for several weeks now. I do not live in Milton Keynes so cannot visit easily but when I phone, all the staff are extremely helpful and pleasant. I would just like to say a very big thank you to you all for looking after her so well. I
am very grateful.

Reply from Gale Hills, Regional Administration Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for such a lovely review. It is so rewarding for the team to receive such great feedback, which will be duly passed on. Kindest regards.

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Review from Adam W (Son of Resident) published on 27 February 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I went in over Christmas to spend time with my dad, and I was really pleased with how lovely and festive the home looked and how great the staff were. They'd put him in the Christmas jumper we'd sent in, and he was really tidy and happy. As we're not local, it's comforting to know he's being so well
looked after. Thank you, The Willows.

Reply from Celia Hardill, Regional Director (Milton Keynes) at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for your review of The Willows, it was lovely to hear that you are happy with the team there and that your dad was happy in the home. Thanks again. Kind regards.

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Review from Claire M (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 13 February 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My family member has been a resident for four months now and is being very well cared for. They are happy and regaining their confidence. They have a great social life, there is always something going on. The Willows Care Home has a lovely vibe, so friendly. The rooms are extremely comfortable, well
decorated and always so clean. The staff are excellent and so caring, I have not seen my family member so happy and relaxed for a long time.

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you so much for your kind words; it is always lovely to receive positive feedback and I shall relay this to our team members. Thank you for your time in completing this review.

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Review from Jacqueline L (Daughter of Resident) published on 9 February 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My dad was in the Heather unit as he had medical conditions that needed to be cared for. He was very well looked after while he was there.
There was so much support for my dad and me from the staff. I knew that Dad was getting the care and medical attention that he needed which meant that I could be
confident that he was safe.
As his essential caregiver, I was able to visit him anytime which helped my dad enormously.
From the reception staff to the nursing staff and the carers, the friendliness and attention to detail were excellent.
While Dad was living at home, we struggled to keep him well enough to stay out of hospital. From the moment that he was in the care of The Willows Care Home, he was only admitted to hospital twice in eighteen months, instead of every couple of weeks, while he was in his own home. It was such a relief to know that he had everything he needed to keep him as well as possible.
Dad passed away in hospital in December 2022.
Thank you for all you did for Dad.

Reply from Celia Hardill, Regional Director (Milton Keynes) at The Willows Care Home

Our sincerest condolences to you and your family. Thank you for your kind words for The Willows, it is heartwarming to read for us all in the Excelcare family. Kind regards, Celia.

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Review from Daniel R (Friend of Resident) published on 14 December 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The most fantastic care home, friendliest staff around, a warm welcome as soon as you enter and nothing but smiles from there on out. Keep up the good work Willows! I hope when my time comes, I'll be cared for by people this lovely!

Reply from Gale Hills, Business Manager at The Willows Care Home

That's so very kind thank you, it's so rewarding for the team to receive such a lovely and positive review.

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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.721)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.721) out of 10 for The Willows Care Home is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 47 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 45 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Care Home is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.721 for The Willows Care Home is calculated as follows: ( (453 Excellents x 5) + (70 Goods x 4) + (10 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) + (15 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 549 Ratings = 4.721

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Willows Care Home is based on 45 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the registered maximum number of service users in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Care Home registered for a maximum of 50 service users has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 130 registered maximum number of service users is 26, which has been reached with 45 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Care Home does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Regulatory Rating

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 30 Dec 2024

Overall
Good

  • Caring

    Requires improvement

  • Effective

    Good

  • Responsive

    Good

  • Safe

    Good

  • Well-led

    Good

Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England.

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Bed Vacancies

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (8)

Meet the Team (4)

Sahr

Sahr Moseray

Job Title: Home Manager

Joined: 2022

Sahr join The Willows Care Home in October 2022 as a Home Manager. He has worked in the care sector for over 18 years and held various roles from carer to Home Manager; he brings with him a wealth of knowledge of caring for older people.


Sahr is passionate about delivering a high standard of person-centred care and transformational leadership. Sahr has completed Level 7 Diploma in Health and Social Care Management, Level 4 NVQ in Leadership and Management for Care Services and Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care.


Sahr’s primary responsibilities include managing day to day smooth running of the home. Supervising and motivating team members to deliver high-quality services and ensuring the needs and aspirations of people who use the services are being met.

Justyna

Justyna Blajerska

Job Title: Operations Support Manager

Joined: 2022

Justyna joined Excelcare in October 2022 in the role of Residential Manager.


She is responsible for leading and managing the residential unit and Lavender lodge on all aspects of day-to-day business deliverables, including performance monitoring in relation to quality and best outcome for people who live in the home.


She has recently become our Operations Support Manager.

Gale

Gale Hills

Job Title: Business Manager

Joined: 2010

Gale has been with Excelcare for 14 years, appointed as Regional Administration Manager.


Gale was promoted to Business Manager in 2022. She is responsible for developing and engaging with team members to include Admin, Care, Domestic, Laundry and Catering services to the Home.

Suzanne

Suzanne Bennett

Job Title: Home Administrator

Joined: 2023

Suzanne joined Excelcare in 2023.
She works closely with the management team, receptionist to ensure the smooth running of administration within the home and help to ensure high standards are maintained throughout the home.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact The Willows Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Willows Care Home has an Enhanced Service - more info.