Devonshire Dementia Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence. At our last assessment, we rated this key question good. At this assessment, the rating has changed from good to outstanding. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently better than expected compared to similar services. People’s feedback described it as exceptional and distinctive.

This service scored 88 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by thoroughly assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People and those important to them were actively involved in pre-admission assessments carried out by managers. Assessments covered personal, social, and health care needs, along with individual wishes and preferences, which informed personalised care plans. These assessments were routinely reviewed and updated accordingly to reflect any changes in people needs.

The provider always planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation. They worked to develop evidence-based good practice and standards.

The provider delivered care and support in line with nationally recognised best practice guidelines and legislation. The provider had recently been accredited by the Gold Standard framework (GSF) for their dedicated work in caring for people with dementia. They had also been nominated by the GSF for the national award of ‘Best care home of the year’, and were shortlisted as finalists.

People received their care and support from staff according to their individually assessed needs and wishes. Relatives told us managers and staff knew how to deliver the best care to their family members. A relative said, “Staff know what my [family member] needs and wants and deliver that care to an exceptional standard.”

Staff used a broad range of structured clinical tools, clear clinical governance processes and effective medicines management systems to ensure people received safe, evidence‑based care. Staff applied evidence‑based approaches to improve clinical outcomes. For instance, the provider used an electronic pain recognition application which used digital technology to read non-verbal cues expressed in the face to detect pain experienced by people unable to verbally express discomfort. Managers told us this innovative approach had significantly reduced the use of unnecessary medicines which had previously been used to treat certain conditions which were now being remedied more naturally, such as encouraging people to walk and social engage more.

Care records demonstrated comprehensive use of accredited tools to guide clinical assessment and intervention. We saw evidence of these tools embedded within people’s care plans. These evidenced‑based tools and measures helped staff identify risk levels, track changes and adjust care appropriately.

Managers and staff worked-well together to review and update people’s care plans. This meant people’s needs were met in line with recognised best care and practice standards. Staff understood each person’s needs and how these should be met. A community-based care professional told us, “There has not been any cases of pressure wounds in the care home for years as district nurses come twice a week to check those at high risk. The number of falls people living in the care home are involved in have also been significantly reduced in the last 12 months.” Staff undertook a range of training based on good practice principles and legislation.

The care homes environment had been suitably adapted to help people living with dementia, This included having specific communal areas of the care home turned into a period style café, pub and a shop. A manager told us they had fitted a person’s bedroom door with their former front door number and knocker, so they felt more at home at the Devonshire.

The provider always worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

People were supported by managers and staff who worked well-together with other community-based health and social care professionals and bodies. Systems were in place to make sure information was shared in a timely manner by everyone involved in people’s care. This all helped to ensure a joined up, consistent approach to delivering safe and effective care to people in line with their individually assessed needs and preferences.

The provider worked in exceptionally effective and well‑coordinated ways to meet people’s needs. Staff demonstrated a strong, unified approach, and people consistently experienced seamless care because teams communicated clearly, shared responsibilities and understood one another’s roles. Evidence showed a highly cohesive workforce supported by strong clinical leadership, structured communication systems and deeply embedded multidisciplinary working.

Staff consistently described a culture of collaboration, shared problem‑solving and mutual respect. A staff member told us, “We work well as team at the care home and have an excellent team spirit here.” Staff confirmed they regularly received support from managers and colleagues, including informal reflective discussions and guidance during shifts. This reflected a shared commitment to working together.

Structured communication ensured all staff understood current risks, priorities and changes in people’s needs. Managers described having regular staff handovers and ongoing reviews of care plans. Staff confirmed handovers were detailed and ensured continuity across shifts.

Effective teamwork was also visible in day‑to‑day practice. We observed staff across roles working seamlessly together to support lunchtime service, with carers, activities coordinator, catering staff and manager assisting people in a coordinated and responsive way. During these observations, staff were attentive, sharing tasks without prompting and ensuring people were supported promptly and with dignity.

People and their relatives consistently recognised the strong team culture with the care home. Managers played a central role in enabling this high‑performing culture. Staff described managers as supportive, approachable and invested in their development. Staff across roles reported that they felt listened to, valued and confident to share concerns. This inclusive leadership style enabled transparent communication and a shared sense of responsibility for high‑quality person-centred care.

The provider maintained close partnerships with community-based health and social care professionals and bodies. These relationships ensured that staff received timely specialist advice and could anticipate needs early. A health care professional confirmed the quality of their partnership working with the care home and described, “The services management team have demonstrated their continued dedication to working closely with their partners in becoming leaders in new initiatives, pilot schemes and other pieces of work that look to better respond to the needs of people living with dementia.”

The provider always supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to fully maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

Managers and staff assessed and planned for each person’s health care needs which was recorded in their personalised care plan. Staff knew when people were unwell or in pain and ensured they routinely attended scheduled medical and hospital appointments.

Managers and staff consistently used individualised approaches, targeted health‑promotion activities and a wide range of tailored resources to support people to maintain and improve their physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Evidence showed staff had an exceptional understanding of what mattered most to each person and took meaningful, creative steps to encourage healthier routines, build independence and enhance daily participation. For example staff had tailored an eating experience based on the service users country of birth, traditional music was played and scenic images of the country was shown during their meal times enhancing their emotional and social wellbeing.

People, relatives and community based care professionals consistently described significant improvements in people’s health since moving into the service. Care plans were clearly focused on promoting good nutrition, mobility, hydration, emotional resilience and purposeful activity. This reflected the service’s strong and consistent focus on providing nutritious meals, promoting regular fluid intake and monitoring people’s health. A relative told us their family members mobility had significantly increased since moving into the care home.

Care plans were personalised and updated regularly. Specialist services were readily accessed to maintain people’s health, and the provider supported the use of technology to monitor people’s health remotely, ensuring prompt interventions. For example motion sensors were used to detect people’s movements if they were at risk of falls, these alerted staff quickly reducing the risk of falls. Regular visits from GPs, district nurses, speech and language therapists, OTs, dentists, opticians and chiropodists further supported proactive monitoring of people’s health care needs.

The provider also participated in a wide range of health‑improving pilot schemes. This included being an active participant in a local initiative set up to improve fluid intake and hydration for people living with dementia. The managers and the local authority confirmed the number of people at risk of dehydration, associated infections and hospital admissions had been significantly reduced in the last 12 months as a consequence of this innovative. A community care professional told us, “The results of this hydration project have been impressive.” The registered manager was also responsible for delivering training on this initiative to other health and social professionals and bodies including, other care home managers working for different providers. The provider also used Reminiscence Interactive Therapy Activities (RITA) for dementia which help to reduce anxiety and isolation and improve interpersonal connections.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

People experienced positive outcomes from the care and support they received from staff. People’s care and support was regularly reviewed to ensure this was meeting their assessed needs and expected outcomes. Systems were in place to monitor the care and support provided to people to ensure this remained effective.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to understand the care and support staff provided them. This enabled people to consent to this if they wished. Managers and staff understood people’s capacity to make decisions about their care and support using people’s preferred method of communication. A community-based care professional told us, “All Deprivation of Liberty safeguards authorisation requests are up to date on the part of the provider. Best interest assessments are done on every resident on all aspects of care including DoLS. DoLS application and renewal tracking forms are reviewed and chased every month.”