Applecroft Care Home

Updated 22 December 2025

We carried out this assessment between 3 February and 24 February 2026. Applecroft Care Home is a residential service providing nursing support to older people and people living with dementia. The service is registered to accommodate 75 people and at the time of our assessment there were 63 people living at the service. The service is divided into 5 units and can accommodate up to 15 people on each unit. Discovery is on the ground floor, Blossom and Permain on the middle floor and Russet and Pippin on the top floor.

We completed this assessment due to concerns we received about the culture and governance of the service. We found there was a positive culture and a new management team who were starting to make changes to the service. We identified some shortfalls in the management of medicines, staff guidance on moving and handling and providing a suitable environment for people living with dementia. The provider acknowledged these shortfalls, used them as lessons learned and was taking actions to help minimise them reoccurring.

People and their relatives were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Although staff knew how to move people safely, some guidance for staff in using equipment lacked some essential detail. This was addressed during the assessment.

People’s eating and drinking was adapted according to their needs and reviewed to ensure they had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff and nurses monitored people’s health and ensured they attended medical appointments. We found some shortfalls when people had been prescribed medicines covertly and in monitoring stock to ensure it remained in date. The provider took actions to address these shortfalls including investigations into the root cause and learning lessons when things had not gone according to plan.

Staff treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. A relative told us, “The home have met him where he is.” Staff could identify when people got anxious or upset and understood how to calm people.

The management team were visible and had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and received appropriate training.

Updated 22 December 2025

During the assessment visit we carried out a short observation for inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. An Expert by Experience also telephoned people’s relatives to gain their feedback of people’s care and treatment. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. Most people at the service could not provide us detailed feedback about their care and treatment because they were living with dementia and other health conditions. However, some people were able to provide feedback.

People and relatives considered the service safe. They said the building was secure and bedrooms and corridors kept clear and uncluttered from trip hazards. People who had limited mobility were assisted by staff using equipment and those who were independently could use the rails and holds in the corridors and bathrooms.

Although people considered staffing levels to be adequate, there were concerns about the 2 units on the top floor. This was because there were many people who needed staff assistance. Relatives said staff had little time to talk to people and mealtimes were especially busy.

Relatives said they were informed about any medical appointments their family member may have and staff accompanied people if this was needed.

People and their relatives said they could make choices about what to eat, when to get up and whether to take part in activities. Staff asked people for permission and explained any care tasks they supported people with. Relatives told us if their family member did not want to do something staff never forced anyone but tried to be persuasive and came back later.

People and relatives told us there was little staff turnover, staff knew people well and were very highly valued. They said people were treated with dignity and respect. Relatives described staff using words such as “superb”, “perfect”, “patient” and “caring”. A relative said, “Staff treat people as human beings.”

Relatives gave mixed view about promoting people’s independence. Some commented their family member was not capable of much independence; some that independence was not always promoted and some that people were enabled to be as independent as possible.

Relatives told us there were a range of activities on offer including one to one chat with people who spent the majority of their time in bed. Special events were celebrated and parties held. If people did not wish to join in their wishes were respected.

There were compliments about the time staff took to learn about people’s interests and backgrounds to deliver personalised care. Everyone told us people’s likes and dislikes had been enquired of and were usefully practiced. This included the foods they liked, their hobbies and what they wished to talk about. Relatives said they had opportunities to give feedback at family meetings, through surveys and felt confident to make a compliant if needed.

Relatives thought the service was well run and there was good teamwork between managers, nurses, care staff and housekeeping staff. One relative commented, “I think they are doing a really good job.” They said there were relative and resident meetings and they had been asked for their feedback via a quality feedback form.