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 61-80
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

  • 106
  • 25
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Date Published

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Review from Barry H (Friend of Resident) published on 13 December 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

On entering The Willows, I felt an instant calm and kindness in the home with very polite, friendly and professional staff. All questions were answered and nothing seemed too much effort. The decor was well kept and the cleanliness was noticeable. A friend that I was visiting, was notably comfortable
considering the poor health she now finds herself in.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Deputy Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for your kind words; It is always lovely to receive positive feedback. Thank you for your time in completing this review. Kindest regards, Larysa Koss.

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Review from Anne P (Daughter of Resident) published on 30 November 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

On visiting my mother at The Willows care home, it is always spotlessly clean and has a calm and homely atmosphere. Mum is encouraged to join in the activities provided and enjoys them. She is happy and seems content. All the staff are very friendly, helpful, kind and attentive to both the residents
and their relatives.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Operations Support Lead at The Willows Care Home

Thank you so much for your comments. We are delighted to have received such a wonderful review. The team members do work really hard to support both the people who live here and their families. Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments. Kindest regards.

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Review from Hayley S (Daughter of Resident) published on 28 November 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Only a short visit for my dad but the staff and facility were amazing.

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

Thank you for your kind review of the Willows Care Home. Glad to hear you were more than happy with your dad's stay. Kind regards.

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Review from Maria T (Daughter of Resident) published on 24 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My dear Mother was discharged from hospital to a step-down bed in the 12 bedded unit at Lavender Lodge which is opposite the main building of The Willows. The accommodation I cannot fault. It appears to have been geared for our specific needs as the rooms are in the form of a bedsit with a small kitchenette
area allowing me to spend the lengthy time that I wanted to spend with Mum as she was palliative and deteriorating quickly. The carers are friendly although the motivation to provide all the care required did differ amongst the staff, as some staff would refuse to hoist Mum out into an armchair on some pretext which didn't seem at all logical to me. The expertise of end-of-life care was not robust so I felt unsupported. For example, I was the one who discovered that mum had oral thrush when I took the initiative to contact the Marie Curie nurse support line, which was hugely helpful. I alerted the staff to the pressure care of her heels. I am glad I was able to spend the time I could there.

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

We would like to thank you for taking the time to bring your experience to our attention. Please be assured that we take all feedback extremely seriously, and believe learning from feedback enables us to continually develop our team and care home. We do always welcome and encourage the opportunity to discuss any concerns in person to enable us to identify possible issues and improve where necessary.

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Review from Gordon F (Wife of Resident) published on 8 November 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I feel that my wife has improved a great deal since being in this very comfortable home. The staff are very good to her.

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

Good afternoon, thank you for your kind words to the home and we are very pleased to hear that your wife has improved since being at The Willows. Kind regards.

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Review from Ann S (Partner of Resident) published on 25 October 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very, very welcoming and put my partner at ease. A few problems were resolved very quickly, kindly and efficiently. Although his stay was a very short respite stay, all staff were so very kind and caring and made his stay a happy experience. We would certainly have no hesitation in coming again or recommending
this home.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Operations Support Lead at The Willows Care Home

Thank you so much for your comments. The team members and people who live in the home always like to hear what has been written about the home. We will certainly look at how we currently do this to try to achieve a better service for all. Thank you for taking the time to review us. Kindest Regards, Larysa

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Review from Nicholas F (Son of Resident) published on 3 September 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Mum was transferred from hospital. The care staff at The Willows Care Home made her feel very welcome and happy as soon as she arrived. Very professional.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Operations Support Lead at The Willows Care Home

Lovely comments, thank you for feeding back to us. It is always nice to read and share with our teams.
Kindest regards, Larysa.

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Review from Helen W (Daughter of Resident) published on 23 August 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mum spent quite a few weeks at Lavender Lodge upon being discharged from the hospital. All the staff were extremely attentive and patient with her. The kindness I witnessed from some staff was exceptional and it felt like they were caring for their own relative which was extremely reassuring. Some
issues around laundry and clothing going missing but this was resolved. There was always lots of food and drink to encourage mum to eat and drink and she did start to put on the weight she had lost in the hospital. I can’t thank the staff enough for how they treated mum.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

Many thanks for your review, we really do appreciate your feedback. We will certainly look at how we currently do this to try to achieve a better service for all. Regards Larysa.

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Review from L R (Niece of Resident) published on 23 August 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My Auntie is well looked after, she loves the meals she has. All staff are kind and attentive. Facilities are always clean.

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

Thank for taking the time to review the home and we were pleased to hear you were happy with your Auntie in our care. Kind regards.

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Review from M R (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 9 August 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are very friendly and helpful. My mother-in-law enjoys living here and is always telling me the carers and manager are lovely and always help her if she has any problems or issues that need dealing with.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

We are very grateful here at the Willows for the lovely comments. Thank you for taking the time to review our service, and we do hope we continue to support you and your family. Kindest Regards, Larysa

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Review from Hilary M (Wife of Resident) published on 15 July 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My husband has settled very well at the Willows. The staff look after him very well and he is always clean, well fed and hydrated. The management has changed during the time my husband has been a resident but the home seems to be running very well and is currently being refurbished in the dementia unit.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to submit your review. Kindest regards, Larysa.

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Review from Kathy T (Wife of Resident) published on 15 July 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The residents are treated with care and respect. The home has opened up now to more activities and these are excellent. I would recommend this home to anyone.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

We are so thankful to you for taking the time to review our home. Your feedback is appreciated. The people who live here and our team members also feel it is important to have a family environment to live and work in and it's wonderful that you think this also. Kindest regards, Larysa.

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Review from K L (Daughter of Resident) published on 30 June 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Mum has been at The Willows since April. The care she has received has been fantastic and exceeds the places she has been.
All staff are really helpful and friendly. For the first time since Mum has gone into care, we can rest knowing she is well taken care of.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

We are so thankful to you for taking the time to review our home. Your feedback is appreciated. The people who live here and our team members also feel it is important to have a family environment to live and work in and it's wonderful that you think this also. Kindest Regards.

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Review from Amanda L (Daughter of Resident) published on 30 June 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Mum came to The Willows 2 months ago, she's settled in so well. The staff are really friendly and always available to help Mum. Nothing is too much trouble. She is really happy and well cared for.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

Lovely comments, thank you for feeding back to us. It is always nice to read and share with our teams.
Kind Regards.

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Review from T S (Daughter of Resident) published on 30 June 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

On Sunday 26 June 2022 while on the phone with Mum, I was privileged to hear the interaction between her and one of The Willow’s amazing carers. The carer demonstrated a kind, patient but firm approach in dealing with a situation that included a variety of ongoing physical, emotional and mental health
challenges. Mum has a complex condition which is hard to define and I am truly grateful for the exceptional care, respect and attention she receives. As a family, we couldn’t ask for more from the well-trained, hardworking, friendly and professional team at the Willows. Thank you!

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you for such wonderful comments. It's always a pleasure to read positive feedback and is a pleasure to relay back to the team members. Thank you once again. Regards, Larysa

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Review from S O (Daughter of Resident) published on 30 June 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All team members I have encountered, have been very helpful, the reception team have been excellent in helping me with my visits and testing when I've not been able to. I am very grateful to the team who are looking after my dad while he is recuperating. My only niggle is I would appreciate water in
Dad's room at all times and it topped up, when required.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

Thank you so much for your comments, the team members and people who live in the home always like to hear what has been written about the home. We will certainly look at how we currently do this to try to achieve a better service for all. Thank you for taking the time to review us. Kindest Regards,

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Review from Andrew J (Son of Resident) published on 29 June 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The new manager is lovely, very caring.
Mum is well looked after and loves it here.
Very happy.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

We are delighted to have received such a wonderful review. The team members do work really hard to support both the people who live here and their families. Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments. Kindest Regards

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Review from Lesley M (Niece of Resident) published on 24 June 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My Aunt has been there for a little while and was treated really well. She received the utmost respect and was treated with dignity. Last night she had a stroke and I cannot thank the staff enough for the prompt actions they took. The manager was at home but immediately went in to ensure everything
was OK. My Aunt is in hospital but when she is well enough. Fingers crossed she will want to return.

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

Thank you for your review of the Willows. We are very pleased to hear that you are happy with the care of your Aunt and wish her better. Kind regards, Celia.

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Review from J G (Daughter of Resident) published on 21 June 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

My mum is in nursing care at The Willows and fortunately only temporary. There seems to be a shortage of staff which obviously impacts on the level of care, especially in the personal hygiene area. Most of the staff are very nice and have a caring attitude but there have been instances where the care
is not so good from some members of staff.

Reply from Larysa Koss, Acting Manager at The Willows Care Home

We would like to thank you for taking the time to bring your experience to our attention. Please be assured that we take all feedback extremely seriously, and believe learning from feedback enables us to continually develop our team and care home.
We would like to reassure you that we have procedures in place to ensure any absences within our team are successfully covered, even at short notice. Our team are committed to our core value - to put each individual at the heart of the care we provide, and were happy to have the opportunity to play their part in making your mother’s birthday special during her time here.
Sadly, we were not made aware of your concerns during your mother’s stay with us. We do always welcome and encourage the opportunity to discuss any concerns in person to enable us to identify possible issues and improve where necessary. If you would like to discuss your review in more detail, I welcome you to contact me on 01908 679505 or larysa.koss@excelcareholdings.com.

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Review from Linda P (Daughter of Resident) published on 15 June 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Mum has been a resident for nearly four years and I am happy to say that I am very pleased with the care she receives every day. The staff are helpful and always ready to listen.

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

Thank you for your excellent review at The Willows, it is heartwarming to hear that you are pleased with the care she receives. Kind regards Celia Hardill.

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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.