- Care home
Critchill Court
Report from 6 August 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
This assessment began on 3 September 2025 and was completed on 10 September 2025.
At the time of the inspection visit there were 42 people living at the home. The home specialised in the care of older people who required personal care.
There were enough staff with the right skills and experience to make sure people received safe and effective care. There was always a senior member of staff on site to oversee people’s wellbeing. The staff worked with other healthcare professionals to meet people’s individual needs.
Risks of abuse to people were minimised because the provider had a robust recruitment procedure and all staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns about poor practice or abuse.
People had their needs assessed when they moved to the home. Care plans and risk assessments were created to make sure staff had the information they needed to provide person centred care. Some improvements were needed to make sure records were kept up to date.
Throughout our inspection visit we saw kind and caring interactions between staff and people who lived at the home.
The provider was committed to making improvements to the care home. Some environmental work had been completed, and further work was planned to ensure it provided a pleasant environment for people to live in.
The provider had facilitated team building exercises to help the staff to bond and ensure they worked together as an effective team to provide person centred care. Most staff felt this had improved staff morale.
People's experience of this service
People lived in a homely environment where they were able to follow their own routines and make choices about their day-to-day care. One person told us the best thing about the home was, “The freedom to do what I want. The staff are very good at helping.”
Some people were living with dementia, and the environment had not been adapted to meet their needs. There was limited signage or things for people to interact with. Menu boards were handwritten without pictures, and the activity board was not showing the correct date. In one area of the home there was a large sign saying it was a ‘snack station’ but no snacks were available for anyone to help themselves to.
All communal areas, including outside areas, were accessible to people with all levels of mobility. Some people told us they would like to see improvements to the garden areas as they felt they were untidy and unwelcoming.
People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. Everyone said they would be comfortable to raise any concerns with a member of staff or the management team.
People told us they were cared for by staff who were kind and caring. Throughout the inspection visit we saw people were treated with kindness and respect. There were sufficient staff to respond to people’s needs and maintain their comfort.
People were generally happy with the food provided but improvements were needed to make sure everyone had a pleasant and relaxed dining experience.
People were able to have personal and professional visitors at any time and visitors felt welcomed into the home. Staff helped people to arrange and attend appointments with medical professionals according to their individual needs.
There were organised activities for people who wished to join in. Some people felt that activities could be improved, and the provider was working to address this.