- Care home
Denewood House Care Home
Assessment report published 5 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
Denewood House is a residential service providing personal care without nursing for up to 21 people. At the time of inspection 19 people were using the service. Care is provided in one adapted building across two floors with access to a large garden.
Who the service is for
The service supports older people and people with dementia.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment on 18 August 2026. This 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.
People and their relatives consistently told us they were happy and felt safe living at the service. A relative told us, “One thing [my family member] always reiterates to me is how safe [they] feel since [they] have lived there.”
Staff understood the process for recording accidents and incidents, including escalating concerns to the registered manager when required. Leaders reviewed incidents and accidents to identify learning and improve practice. Risks to people’s safety were assessed, recorded and monitored.
People were safeguarded from the risk of abuse by staff who understood their responsibilities to report concerns. Staff understood their responsibility and knew how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns. Staff told us they were confident that any concerns would be acted on appropriately by the registered manager. Records we saw showed the registered manager reported safeguarding concerns to the local authority safeguarding team and worked with them to ensure people were safe.
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 that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives. One relative told us, “[My family member] always has a choice about every aspect of [their] life and care. [They] have never spoken about being restricted in any way and I am sure [they] would have if it was a concern.”
There was a consistent staff team at the service, and we observed there were enough staff to support people promptly. Staff told us they felt they had enough staff each shift to support people safely and spend time with them. Relatives and people were very complimentary of the staff team and the registered managers. One relative said, “I feel the service is very well managed by [manager’s name]. I find the management team friendly, very approachable and they have great communication with [my family member] as well.” Staff received training, supervision and support appropriate to their roles and spoke positively about the support provided by the managers. Comments included, “The management has an open-door policy and they are approachable. It is quite easy to discuss matters with them, and they deal with them professionally” and “I feel supported. If I have any concerns, I know the management is willing to help. We are celebrating staff of the month award which includes a shopping voucher.”
The environment and equipment were well maintained to ensure the safety of people and staff. All required environmental and service checks were completed.
The provider had processes in place to support the safe administration of medicines. However, during our assessment we identified concerns around the management of people’s topical medicines and storage of medicines; this was immediately fed back to the provider to rectify. The management team responded promptly by looking into alternative storage arrangements and introducing additional more in depth and focused weekly audits of topical medicines.
People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the service, with consideration given to their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs. Policies and procedures were available to support staff in delivering safe and effective care. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met, and a variety of meals and drinks were available to reflect their preferences and dietary requirements.
Care plans were personalised which helped to make sure care was provided in accordance with people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff had an excellent knowledge of the people they supported. Staff told us care plans and regular handover meetings gave them the information they needed to effectively support people and respond to changing needs or wishes.
Throughout our visit we observed kind and caring interactions between people and staff.
People, relatives, and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about the service. People’s health and wellbeing were regularly monitored and reviewed. Staff worked effectively with healthcare professionals to help ensure people received appropriate support and good outcomes. One health professional told us, “Staff have always been good with knowing all their residents and their care needs. They are always very good at listening to and following what we advise and always call us for advice or if they need anything checking.”
Leaders promoted a positive, inclusive and compassionate culture that placed people at the centre of the service. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the management team from people, relatives, staff and 2 visiting healthcare professionals. Governance systems were in place to monitor quality and drive improvement. However, some areas, such as medicines oversight, required further development. Leaders responded positively to feedback and demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and improving outcomes for people.
People's experience of this service
We spoke to people about their experiences of living at Denewood House. We gained feedback from relatives and visiting professionals and carried out observations in communal areas. We observed a mealtime which was a social occasion with people sitting together if they chose to. Tables were dressed for meal service, and we saw people offered choices of which food or drink they would like. We saw staff interactions with people were positive, there was humour and laughter as staff sat chatting to people and it was clear that people felt very comfortable with staff.
People and their relatives spoke very positively of their experiences living Denewood House. One relative said, “The staff are amazing. They are all very caring, respectful and definitely provide dignified care. Every interaction that the carers have with my [family member] is as if they are caring for a member of their own family. It is a joy to see.” Another relative told us, “I feel my [family member] is 100% safe with the staff; they are all incredibly good. It’s a small home and they always listen 100%. I’m absolutely happy with the home, it really is lovely”.
People told us they were happy living at the service. People knew about their care plans and felt they received care and support in accordance with their wishes. One person said, “I am very well looked after, they know me well. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone.” Another person told us, “Staff know me very well and are always nice. The food is excellent and there is plenty of it - good choice of food four times a day.”
People and their relatives felt there were enough staff. They told us if they rang their call bell for assistance staff responded promptly. During our visit we did not hear bells ringing for extended periods of time.
People were encouraged to spend their time how they wished. Staff understood people’s preferences, likes and dislikes. There was a daily schedule for activities provided by visiting entertainers or activities coordinator. Comments from relatives included, “They usually have entertainment on when I visit”, “There’s lots of activities. They go to the local church and out in the community” and “[My family member] enjoys life there. [They] like all the different activities and entertainments that are provided and enjoy the beautiful garden. [They] love to sit outside when [they] can. Above all, [my family member] likes the carers.”
Relatives consistently told us there was a positive and homely atmosphere at the home. A relative told us, “The staff are always very courteous towards my [family member] and I think that they do their best to support the choices [they] make. [My family member] is extremely happy and content there, and I am very happy with the care [they] receive. Most of the staff also know me by name.” A health professional told us, “It’s always a lovely feel when you enter with care staff engaging with residents and plenty of activities throughout the week catering for all their residents’ needs.”
People told us staff arranged for them to see healthcare professionals when they needed to. A relative told us, “The staff contact the doctor if necessary. If it is a serious problem, they also let me know. [My family member] can see other professionals if needed - e.g. dentist.” Healthcare professionals said the staff communicated well with them to make sure people received the support they needed.
Relatives described the registered manager and management team as visible, approachable and responsive. They said they felt comfortable raising concerns and were confident any issues would be addressed promptly. Relatives spoke positively about the culture of the home and told us they would recommend Denewood House to others. They said they felt involved in their family member's care and were always made to feel welcome when visiting the service. People, relatives, staff and visiting healthcare professionals agreed the service was well led. A relative told us, “The home is well managed. Both managers are very good communicators. I have found that [my family member’s] needs have been addressed quickly by the management team. I feel they provide a good environment for both their staff and residents.” A healthcare professional commented, “I visit Denewood House often and find it is well managed. The managers are aware of their residents’ needs. They are always on hand to discuss any concerns.”