- Care home
Delaheys Nursing Home
Assessment report published 20 May 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 14 April to 21 April 2026. We conducted the assessment to provide a rating to an unrated service.
Delaheys Nursing home is a nursing home service which supports older people and people who may be living with dementia. The service can provide support for up to 28 people. At the time of this assessment 22 people were living at the home.
The service had an embedded learning culture. People were able to raise concerns and were confident these would be listened to. People experienced safe transfers into the service and referrals to heath partners were safe and timely. People were treated well by staff and kept safe from the risk of abuse, avoidable harm, neglect and discrimination. People had person centred care plans and were involved in planning their care. The environment was clean, bright and homely, with infection prevention measures in place. Staff had relevant training to their role. There were robust recruitment processes which were followed in practice and staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs. Medicines were managed safely, with protocols in place for covert and ‘as required’ medication.
Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff monitored people’s health to support good outcomes and worked with healthcare partners to provide a smooth transition between services. Staff gained consent from people to provide care.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity and were aware of people’s preferences and wishes. People had choice in their care and had access to meaningful activities. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The service supported staff wellbeing.
Care plans were person-centred and regularly reviewed with people and relatives involved if this was appropriate. People had access to health care including referrals to specialists for equipment to meet their needs. People and relatives said they were receiving the care they needed. The way people communicated was recorded in care plans and adjustments made when needed. People knew how to raise complaints and relatives were reminded of how to raise concerns in the monthly newsletter. The service was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service supported conversations about end-of-life care including discussions around advance care plans and preferred place of care.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff to develop in their roles. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas. Staff had champion roles to encourage sharing of learning between staff. Leaders had clear oversite to monitor quality through audits and sharing of lessons learned.
People's experience of this service
People and relatives spoke highly about the service. People felt safe as there was always a member of staff to help when needed. Regarding staffing levels, a person said, “It seems well staffed – there are always plenty around all the time”. Another person said, “I feel safe and well cared for.” A relative said if they had a concern, “I would talk to them. I come in different days and there are different people on, but they are all pleasant.” People told us they were always treated with kindness and respect. A person said, “I need a hoist and I think it is always available when I need it. There are always two people, and they do respect my dignity when hoisting me.” A relative told us, “I would say [relative] is very safe when they hoist [relative]. They talk to [relative] all the time when they use the hoist.”
People and relatives told us staff were extremely knowledgeable about their needs. A relative said, “From what I have seen they are all well trained.” A person said, “I quite like the way they handle me – they are good to me.” People said the staff worked together as a team with a person saying, “If I say something hurts, they get the nurse straight away”.
People said that the service was always clean and tidy. A person said about their room “I love my room; it is tranquil, lovely and it has green walls – calming green.” People said the food was good with plenty of choice and more than enough to eat. People said relatives were welcomed within the home at any time, day and night. A relative said, “When I do get to visit her at Delaheys, she seems very happy at the home and enjoys the activities, the meals and the interactions she has with the staff.”
People and relatives all said they had been given time to discuss end of life care. A person commented, “They have discussed this with me. They know I don’t want [relative] going into hospital.” People said, “Staff are very respectful; they know my name, always treated with respect and they offer me drinks.” People and relatives were happy with the management and the overall service with a person saying, “I am very happy. The manager has made some minor changes since taking over; has changed the reception area and put in a coffee machine for relatives and has had the shower room redone.” Another person said, “It is a nice place for me to finish my time.” A relative said about the care, “It made such a difference to my life knowing [relative] was cared for when I was unable to be there.”