- Care home
Carentan House
Assessment report published 16 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
Carentan House is a care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 24 people. At the time of our visit, 21 people were living at the service.
Who the service is for
The service supports older people and people living with dementia.
The service is made up of 17 long term beds, 2 short stay beds and 5 intermediate care beds (ICB). ICB beds aim to provide rehabilitation to support people to return to a level of independence where they can return home, with or without support.
Support was delivered across 2 floors which was serviced by a lift and both offered communal spaces to socialise and dine. The upper floor where the ICB beds were located also had a kitchen designed for people to use, as a way of encouraging and building their confidence and independence.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment on 24th and 25th September 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 told us they felt safe at the home and relatives and visiting professionals were complimentary about how the care and support was provided. The home was welcoming, clean, tidy, and well maintained with environmental safety checks completed regularly. The service had recently been redecorated, had new flooring and a refurbished hair salon for people to have their hair and nails done. We observed people being supported in a kind and respectful way, with people encouraged to remain independent and mobile wherever possible.
People received their medications in a safe and timely way and medicines were stored securely. We found some gaps in the recordings of topical creams, and guidance for staff around “as and when” medication was not always in place. We also found the date of opening was not always recorded on the medications. The registered manager took immediate action to address the issues identified.
Care plans and risk assessments were in place and provided guidance for staff on how best to support people. We found one risk assessment was not in place as needed, however staff were aware of the potential risk and took action to mitigate it. The registered manager ensured this was put in place as soon as this was identified.
Staff knew the people they supported well and talked about them with kindness. One staff member described going to work as “coming home”, as he viewed the residents as family. Staff told us they were provided with extensive and good quality training, and leaders provided regular support and guidance. Staffing levels ensured interactions were not rushed or task focused. Other health care professionals told us communication with the service was good, and they felt people received a good standard of 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 that staff and management worked within the MCA, but had not always reviewed people’s capacity to consent where there had been a change in presentation. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions and they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
People told us that the food was “amazing”, and we saw how people were offered choice. Alternatives were provided if people didn’t want what was offered. The dining experience was calm and person-centred, with people’s preferences and choice respected.
The registered manager and other leaders in the service had implemented positive changes to practice over the last year, including the implementation of champion roles. People, relatives and staff all told us management were approachable, competent, and acted to drive improvement within the service. The staff team spoke positively about their colleagues and how they worked together to ensure people received good quality care.
The registered manager had a good understanding of the service and the people it supported. They carried out regular audits across all areas of the service. Where areas had been identified for improvement, the registered manager had taken action and regularly followed up on these, to ensure the work had been completed.
People's experience of this service
People told us they enjoyed living at Carentan House, felt safe and were well cared for by friendly staff. During our visit the home was calm, relaxed and welcoming. People were comfortable either in the communal areas or their own rooms, and were having positive interactions with staff, other people or visiting relatives.
People and their relatives described staff as “friendly”, “caring” and “brilliant”.
One relative told us, “We’re happy with the home, always have been, [name] is really settled. It’s been consistently good over the several years they’ve been here. Totally meet their needs and staff retention seems good, a really good team.”
One person told us how after a fall while waiting for emergency services to attend, a staff member lay down on the floor with them, so they didn’t feel alone or scared.
One relative told us, “All the staff are great with [Name], like a happy home. I can't find fault with it. A real home from home.”
We carried out observations of care and saw how staff interacted with people in a caring and respectful way. We saw staff encouraging people to mobilise independently, using humour to motivate them whilst remaining professional and respectful.
Mealtimes were observed and were well organized, with people being offered a choice and alternatives if they didn’t like the choices offered. The food looked appealing and smelt appetizing. One person told us, “It’s marvellous, especially the food” and described how they had a bacon sandwich and 2 delicious poached eggs for breakfast.
People were offered the opportunity to take part in activities within the home. These were varied and people told us they enjoyed them. The service had singers, therapy pets and themed evenings with music and dancing. The service also followed popular TV entertainment shows, with people getting involved in the voting and scoring of contestants. They also arranged fun games and themed activities around this, which people really enjoyed.
Some people enjoyed their own company but told us they were always invited to attend group activities. They enjoyed visits from the therapy pets in their bedroom.
During our assessment we observed people receiving care and support that promoted their privacy, dignity and independence. Call bells were responded to promptly, and staff remained attentive to people’s individual comfort, wellbeing and personal care requirements. People experienced positive and compassionate care from staff who knew them well, understood their preferences, and responded to their needs in a person-centred and respectful manner.