- Care home
Holmlea Care Home
Assessment report published 4 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
Holmlea Care Home is a service providing accommodation and personal care. At the time of the inspection there were 24 people using the service.
Who the service is for
This service supports older people and people living with dementia.
Key findings
We carried out this inspection from 28 July until 7 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 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. Staff understood when Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations would need to be sought, the impact of the recent Supreme Court judgement and what to do if there were conditions imposed. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives. Capacity assessments and ‘best interest decisions’ were in place, but these needed to be extended to cover any restrictions, such as needing to go out with staff. The management team took immediate action to address them.
People received safe, person-centred care from a staff team who knew them well and were committed to achieving positive outcomes. People and relatives consistently spoke positively about the service and told us they felt safe, well cared for and treated with dignity and respect. Feedback from relatives described staff as kind, knowledgeable and responsive, and highlighted significant improvements in people’s wellbeing since moving into the home. Staff understood people's individual needs, responded promptly to changes in their health and wellbeing and worked effectively with healthcare professionals to achieve positive outcomes. Medicines were managed safely. Recruitment processes were operating effectively, and the service was clean and well maintained. The registered manager had developed a learning culture where accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns were reviewed to identify lessons and drive improvement.
There was a strong culture of safety and learning. Staff understood people’s needs and risks were generally well managed. Staffing levels met people’s needs and staff received a range of training and regular supervision. Staff worked effectively with healthcare professionals to ensure people received timely support and treatment when their needs changed.
The management team demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement. Quality assurance systems included regular audits, accident and incident analysis, action planning and review processes. The provider had introduced initiatives to strengthen oversight of care, including resident-focused reviews and daily leadership meetings. Feedback from people who use the service and their relative questionnaires was highly positive, with all respondents stating they would recommend the service to others. People, relatives and staff described leaders as visible, approachable and responsive to feedback.
Overall, Holmlea Care Home demonstrated a positive culture focused on safety, continuous improvement and achieving good outcomes for people.
People's experience of this service
People were overwhelmingly positive about their experience of living at Holmlea Care Home. People and their relatives were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences of care. Feedback described staff as kind, compassionate and approachable. Relatives described staff as warm, friendly, approachable and highly caring. They told us staff took time to understand people's individual needs, preferences and routines and provided personalised support that had improved people's well-being and quality of life. A relative told us their family member had experienced significant improvements in their health, independence and engagement since moving to the home. A relative said, “It’s such a relief to know my Mam is in safe hands,” whilst others described staff as “lovely, always helpful” and praised the personalised care provided. Relatives told us the team had developed a detailed understanding of people's needs and had supported improvements in areas such as mobility, wellbeing, nutrition and skin integrity.
People told us they felt safe living at Holmlea Care Home and were confident staff would respond appropriately if they had any concerns. Feedback from questionnaires showed all respondents’ felt people were safe and protected from harm and felt comfortable discussing any worries with staff. Respondents also reported staff were available when needed and had the skills and knowledge to meet people's needs. All respondents said they would recommend the service to others.
People spoke positively about the kindness, compassion and respect shown by staff. During the assessment, we observed staff supporting people in an unhurried, respectful and caring way. People told us they trusted staff and felt valued. Relatives consistently described staff as kind and patient, including when supporting people living with dementia and those whose needs had become more complex. Questionnaire responses showed all respondents’ agreed people were treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
People were involved in decisions about their care and support. Feedback showed people and families felt listened to and supported to express their views. Relatives told us they were kept informed about changes and felt able to raise concerns should they need to. The provider had systems in place to support people with different communication needs and protected characteristics, including providing information in alternative formats where required and supporting people's cultural, religious and personal preferences.
People enjoyed opportunities to take part in activities and maintain relationships with family, friends and their local community. Relatives told us staff worked hard to engage people in meaningful activities and interactions. The provider described a range of community outings, social events and themed activities which promoted people's wellbeing and independence. During our assessment, we found there were opportunities for people to engage in meaningful activity and that staff understood and respected people's individual, cultural, social and religious needs.