Enter and view: Woodside Care Village
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Healthwatch Warwickshire undertook an unannounced enter and view visit to Woodside Care Village on 24 February 2025. They spoke to 2 people.
Woodside Care village is owned by a not-for-profit care provider with 13 homes across Warwickshire. Woodside Care Village follows the Dutch De Hogeweyk model, which aims to deinstitutionalise care and enable people with severe dementia to live a normal life.
The architecture and design contribute to the way people live at Woodside Care village. • Twelve small households (5–7 residents) reflect typical family sizes. Every household has its own lounge, dining area and kitchen, Outdoor balconies connect households in a continuous circular loop with no internal corridors and no dead ends, encouraging fresh air and social contact.
WCS Care has sent many of its staff to the Netherlands to experience the Dutch model of care. The Deafinitely Independent (DI) service moved into Woodside Care village six years ago and occupy two households that support Deaf residents with BSL-skilled staff. All WCS Care staff receive basic BSL training.
Both Registered Managers are open, experienced, and focused on continuous improvement, with strong staff engagement and evidence-led change. Residents and relatives describe care as excellent, person-centred, and delivered by well-trained, caring staff who know people well.
Every household has a kitchen. Residents can choose from 43 daily options via the Appetito system. Residents go to the shop to choose and get their food every day. The Deafinitely Independent community often cook for themselves. Families can bring food in and cook in the kitchen.
There are no cleaning staff for the households. Residents clean their own flats with help from care staff. Cleaning materials are available in the shop.
A weekly village schedule lists household outings, choir, arts and crafts, music sessions, and films—all activities are open to all residents, not just the hosting household. Two full-time musicians and a weekly choir contribute to the mood and engagement. Dementia care mapping, which involves observing behaviour and well-being, showed improved eating and an emotional uplift that lasted up to 3 days after music sessions.
Acoustic and/or monitoring (with consent) alerts staff if someone is up at night. Video activates with movement and never records. Staff report better sleep and fewer falls.
Biometric fingerprint access and a two-door exit system allow residents and families the freedom to move around while remaining safe.
This is not a nursing home but aims to provide a home for life, end-of-life care is delivered by trained staff with support from primary care and district nursing.
A mobile carers bank provides cover across WCS Care homes. Staff value flexible shifts they can sign up to from home using the Book Jane app. WCS Care offer career progression, training, and well-being support. Many managers started as carer’s, reflecting an embedded ‘grow-your-own’ approach.