Holly House 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 the last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has changed 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.

Staff made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. Comprehensive assessments were completed before admission and updated regularly. Relatives told us they felt their family members’ needs had been carefully considered and continued to be met as things changed. One relative explained they had chosen residential care because of their family member’s “failing memory and frailty” and told us, “It does appear that my relative’s needs are being met.”Another relative said, “During [person’s name] time living at Holly House their needs have changed and have increased, however Holly House have always provided care and support to meet their needs and have been responsive to any changing needs.”This showed assessments were not a one‑off event but informed ongoing care planning.

Staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to best practice, routinely delivering care and treatment informed by robust evidence, professional guidance and innovative use of technology, resulting in extremely positive outcomes for people. Staff and external professionals described a strong culture of professionalism, learning and collaboration which meant people received effective, person‑centred care. An occupational therapist who had worked with Holly House since it opened told us they had “consistently observed a culture of compassion, professionalism, and commitment to resident wellbeing led by [registered manager] and her team.” They said staff “consistently implement advice, request clarification where needed, and communicate openly about residents’ progress,” which helped residents maximise their independence and quality of life. A dietitian who oversaw many care homes described the registered manager as, “definitely one of the best in terms of her attitudes towards the importance of promoting good nutrition and hydration,” and said, “I have no concerns with the care home referring their residents appropriately to the dietetic team. I am confident that the quality of care they provide is excellent.”

External professionals found the service was forward‑thinking in how it used technology and national initiatives to support evidence‑based care. Staff actively participated in falls prevention campaigns, equipment reviews and technology projects, including wellbeing sensors and hydration systems designed to reduce falls and support safe independence.In a wellbeing sensor trial, the system recorded bed‑exit events over four weeks and found staff responded promptly and appropriately to each alert, demonstrating how technology and staff practice worked together to manage risk. A sensor equipment manager said, “The manager’s proactive approach to embracing TEC solutions is, in my view, leading the way in enhancing outstanding, needs-led, individualised care.” Professional found staff consistently ensured they followed current best practices in all aspects of the care and support being delivered.

The service demonstrated exceptional leadership in ensuring staff, teams and external services worked seamlessly together, resulting in consistently joined‑up and highly coordinated care. Communication between staff, professionals and families was exemplary, enabling people to benefit from a genuinely collaborative, multi‑disciplinary approach. Professionals described a well‑organised service where joint working was routine. The GP lead told us the home was good at, “proactively identifying issues and bringing them to MDT,” and said staff “communicate well with the GP practice and are very kind and caring towards patients.” A nurse practitioner said the manager or a senior carer attended multi‑disciplinary team meetings, followed individual management plans and provided up‑to‑date information, including observations and samples when needed.

Falls prevention, dietetic and technology colleagues all highlighted how well the service worked in partnership. An occupational therapist told us staff made, “timely and appropriate referrals” and that their, “prompt and proactive response to therapy recommendations and plans” enabled residents to maximise their independence. A dietitian described Holly House’s response to training and advice as “excellent” and said, “All of the staff are positive and clearly have a good relationship and rapport with the residents and their families.”A sensor equipment manager described “exceptional” communication and a “strong partnership approach” during a wellbeing sensor project, saying this made the work “a genuine pleasure” and showed a shared commitment to high‑quality care. The team had found using the new sensors had readily supported them to identify patterns and periods when a person might be more likely to fall. This enabled them to take proactive steps to to reduce risk during these periods.

Staff described Holly House as a friendly, team‑focused place to work, where different roles worked closely together. One member of staff said, “Everyone works really well as part of a team,” and another told us, “I am part of a team that work well together from management down to us domestic team.” Staff meetings were held regularly and were used to discuss safeguarding, complaints, audits and lessons learnt, which was to determine how to change practice across the team.

Staff were exceptional in supporting people to live healthier lives, proactively promoting good nutrition and hydration, and preventing avoidable deterioration. Staff provided a wide range of meaningful activities that significantly enhanced people’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing. The activities coordinator was described as always finding new and interesting things for people to join in. For example, they tailored quizzes to individual needs so had a range and people described how challenging these were, but always doable.

People and relatives told us their health and quality of life had improved since moving to Holly House. There was a strong emphasis on involving people with menu reviews and choices. People reported the catering team provided a wide range of nutritious meals.Staff had a good knowledge of people’s preferences and dislikes, and people were very positive about the food.There was a clear focus on preventing falls and supporting safe mobility through both practice and innovation. The home engaged in national falls prevention campaigns and equipment reviews and partnered in projects such as wellbeing sensors and hydration technology.Relatives consistently described feeling reassured that their loved ones were safe, well cared for and able to enjoy life. One relative said, “As a family it gives us peace of mind to know that Dad is happy and feels secure living at Holly House,” and another told us, “Overall, Holly House is an excellent place to live, [person’s name] is happy and well supported and cared for living there.”Several relatives commented that day care and respite support had been “really beneficial,” helping people maintain routines and community links.

Families also felt communication was strong. Relatives said staff and managers were approachable, kept them informed about any changes, and contacted them promptly if health concerns arose or emergency care was needed. One relative told us, “[The manager and deputy] have always been dealt with immediately. They and the other staff have been excellent at keeping us informed about my [person’s name] care, phoning when needed, providing updates and following up on things.”Relatives’ experiences supported this view. One relative whose family member had shown stroke‑like symptoms told us staff, “acted and responded immediately and I was notified immediately,” and they described Holly House as “an excellent place to live, [person’s name] is happy and well supported and cared for living there.”

Staff monitored all people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they fully met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. Relatives and professionals consistently reported positive outcomes for people, including feeling safe, settled, and well supported.

The management team had developed a strong learning culture where accidents and incidents were recorded and consistently reviewed to identify lessons that could be learned. Outcome data and feedback from all stakeholder groups, including night staff and families, was systematically used to drive and evidence continuous improvement. Lessons learnt were shared with teams at Holly House and with managers from sister services to develop practice across the provider. Audits, including infection prevention and control audits, showed strong compliance and clear action planning where minor shortfalls were identified. One member of staff told us, “We have regular staff meetings and we discuss a multitude of things including safeguarding, complaints, and audits are always discussed as well as lessons learnt,” and another staff member said, “Staff are given the chance to be involved at all times.”

The management team also used project work to understand outcomes and inform improvement. For example, during the wellbeing sensor trial, anonymised data on falls and bed‑exit events were collected and analysed in partnership with technology and commissioning colleagues. This helped staff understand people’s behaviour and safety as well as the impact this new technology could have and they used this to refine their approach to falls prevention.External professionals described Holly House as “proactive” in engaging in research and service development projects and said their willingness to collaborate had been “invaluable.”

Staff told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Staff had received additional training on the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We observed staff seeking consent during care interactions, and people told us their preferences were respected. Staff described involving families in best-interest decisions. Professionals told us they had seen good examples of best‑interest decision‑making in practice. In a technology‑enabled care project, the manager identified a resident at increased risk of falls due to Alzheimer’s and hypertension and sought a best‑interest decision before installing a wellbeing sensor. They said the manager was, “consistently person-centred, with the customer’s wellbeing, individuality, and outcomes at the forefront of every decision” and demonstrated a strong commitment to, “the least restrictive and most respectful” options. People told us they felt respected and involved in decisions about their care.