- Care home
Acorn House
Assessment report published 3 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment site visit 14 and 15 July 2026.
This assessment was completed due to the length of time since the last ratings inspection.
The site visit was conducted by 2 inspectors and 1 Expert by Experience. Experts by Experience are people with lived experience of this service type.
Acorn House is a purpose built care home without nursing. The service is set over 3 floors with a large lounge and dining space on each floor. The service has smaller, quiet lounges and a music and sensory room. The service is situated on the outskirts of Nottingham city and is registered to provide accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care, up to a maximum of 64 people. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting 54 people with their personal care and support needs. Some people living at Acorn House lived with dementia.
This service demonstrated an exceptionally high standard of care, underpinned by strong leadership, a culture of compassion, and consistently positive outcomes for people. The service was highly effective in meeting people’s needs, with care and support delivered in a personalised, responsive, and evidence-based way that promoted well-being, independence, and quality of life. People received care from a staff team who were skilled and knowledgeable, and who ensured people felt valued, respected, and engaged. Feedback from people, relatives, and professionals was positive, with many highlighting the kindness and commitment shown by staff. Relationships were strong, and there was an emphasis on treating people as individuals.
The service was exceptionally well-led, with a visible and proactive management team who drove continuous improvement and fostered a positive, inclusive culture. Leaders were highly effective in engaging with staff, people using the service, and external partners, ensuring that learning and best practice were embedded throughout. Governance systems were robust and used effectively to improve outcomes and maintain high standards.
The facilities and equipment met people’s needs, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were sufficient staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes.
Overall, the service provided outstanding care, which was person-centred, compassionate and resulted in positive experiences and outcomes for people.
People's experience of this service
People and relatives were positive about the quality of care at Acorn House. Where people were unable to directly tell us about their care experience, we observed the interactions between people and staff. This approach showed people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. One person said, “Staff always have time to listen to me.” People told us they felt safe and were fully involved in planning their care and understood their rights. People and their relatives said they received high quality care from knowledgeable staff who treated them as individuals.
People and their relatives described how staff treated them kindly and made sure any personal care was provided sensitively, preserving their privacy and dignity. They also said the service a range of interesting activities to keep people physically and mentally active. One person said, “I am supported and encouraged to join in the activities available.” Another person said, “I did a butterfly painting the other day for the summer fair sale. We had a cheese and wine night last month and I was put in a big wheelchair to join in. It was lovely and one of the staff played saxophone.”
People and relatives described how staff supported their dietary needs and preferences. People felt able to complain and were confident action would be taken and improvements would be made. Resident ambassadors ensured people’s views were fully considered at Acorn House. People and their relatives knew staff and leaders well and felt confident in their leadership.
When asked if they would recommend the service, one person said, “Certainly. It’s clean, well managed and people listen to you.”