- Care home
Thorncliffe House
Assessment report published 6 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
We carried out this assessment on 9 September 2026. The service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
The provider deployed enough skilled and knowledgeable staff to meet people’s needs safely. Risks were assessed and people were involved in the process. There were effective systems in place to safeguard people from abuse. A staff member told us, “Staffing levels are always more than sufficient, there’s always plenty staff on shift and management also support the floor.”
Medicines were administered safely and there were systems to ensure the environment was safe.
People received effective care, tailored to their individual needs and preferences. Their health and communication needs were reflected in assessments and care records. Staff worked with healthcare professionals to promote wellbeing and respond to changes in health.
People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect. There were warm, friendly and relaxed interactions between people and staff. Staff took time to listen, offered people meaningful choices and supported them to express their wishes and preferences about their everyday lives. One staff member said, “People’s voices and choices matter and we will always support that.”
Support was personalised around what mattered to people and how they wanted to spend their time. A range of activities were available 5 days a week, including drawing and gardening. People were supported to access the community using the community car. Weekends often provided opportunities for people to spend time and go out with their families. Monthly activity meetings gave people the opportunity to share their ideas and choose what they would like to do, helping to shape activities around their interests and preferences.
The service was well-led, with leaders who knew their staff well and were focused on getting the best from them. Staff were empowered through learning and development, including train-the-trainer opportunities, champion roles and learning that was shared through supervision. Staff took on champion roles in areas such as medicines, falls, oral health and skin integrity, helping to build knowledge and good practice across the team. Leaders supported staff through regular, meaningful supervision. They were flexible when staff members personal circumstances or health needs changed, considering reasonable adjustments and alternative or dual roles within the home. This created a supportive culture where staff were encouraged to develop their skills, share learning and contribute to providing good quality care.
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and authorised. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions and had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives spoke very positively about the care and support provided. Relatives described staff as friendly, approachable and welcoming, and said they had developed trusting relationships with them. One relative told us, “They are brilliant. I couldn’t fault them,” while another said staff worked well together and had created “a real team.” Relatives felt informed and were confident they could approach staff or the manager if they had any questions or concerns.
Relatives said people’s health and wellbeing had improved since moving into the home. They described people gaining weight after previously being frail or losing weight. They attributed this to the quality of the food and the care provided. A relative said their family member had begun putting weight back on within a few weeks of moving in. People described meals as excellent, varied and enjoyable.
Relatives were positive about the standard of personal care and the cleanliness of the home. They said staff knew people well and supported them in a way that helped them feel safe and comfortable. Relatives chose the service for a family member because of the positive care another family member had previously received there, showing the confidence they had in the staff team.
Relatives described the home as having a friendly, welcoming and homely atmosphere. A relative said it felt like “a big house and a home,” rather than an institutional setting. Relatives particularly valued the sense of community. They described celebrations, including Christmas, as lively and enjoyable, with singing, decorations and gifts creating a positive atmosphere for people and their visitors. Relatives also appreciated the activities, regular contact from staff and the way they were made to feel welcome. A relative summed this up by saying, “[Person] is really happy. There’s a lovely community feel and the staff are great.”