Woolston House

Updated 6 January 2026

Date of Assessment: 29 January to 5 February 2026. Woolston House is a care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 40 adults with a range of needs, including people living with dementia and mental health needs. At the time of our assessment 32 people were living at the service. We undertook this assessment following concerns we received about aspects of care provided to people. This is the first assessment for this newly registered service.

People told us they felt safe living at the service. Staff followed safeguarding procedures to protect people. Staff assessed potential risks to people, and took actions to mitigate any risks, such as providing sensor equipment. However, we found staff had occasionally not followed plans in place, the registered manager addressed this immediately. The service was clean and well maintained. People received their medicines as prescribed.

People were supported by staff who were safely recruited and trained. We received mixed feedback about staffing levels. We found staff were responsive to people and overall were able to meet people’s needs, however, some feedback suggested people had to wait for support at times. The provider had recently opened a 4th unit, and staffing numbers had been changed based on the dependency of people’s needs. The management team were monitoring, whilst the staffing changes were being embedded.

Following people’s admission to the service, staff used various assessment tools and worked with healthcare professionals to ensure people received appropriate treatment. Care plans were developed in consultation with people and/or their relatives. More recently, a project manager had been supporting the team to make improvements to information contained within people’s care plans.

There was a focus on engagement and co-production, with people and staff being involved in the development of the service.

The provider had an effective system for governance and oversight in place, with various audits and checks undertaken. The current management team had undertaken work to review and strengthened oversight systems and procedures, which were being embedded.

The management team demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and development. They were responsive to our assessment feedback and created a document to share with staff about what they had learnt, including an action plan.

Updated 6 January 2026

We received positive feedback about people’s experiences of living at Woolston House. Comments included, “I really like it here. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else” ; "It is okay here, its fine, the staff are very helpful" and “They are good staff here. They can't do enough for you. The physio here is good, they are all good.”

The management team shared various case studies, which people had been involved in writing, and this feedback highlighted the positive experiences people had at the service. People were supported to work towards therapeutic goals, with good outcomes seen for many.

People told us they were supported by staff who knew them and treated them well. The provider had responded to feedback to reduce the use of agency staff and were planning more meaningful activities within the service. People were positive about some of the events that had taken place and going out into the community.

People were encouraged to share feedback and ideas. We received mixed feedback about the food options, although recent improvements had been recognised. A new food forum was being introduced to give people more opportunities to share their input and feedback. People’s feedback indicated there had been a positive impact following the opening and restructuring of the 4 units. Overall people were positive about the management of the service and told us improvements had been seen since the new management team had been in place.