- Care home
Ivy Court
Assessment report published 9 February 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment:19 January 2026. Ivy Court is a residential care home providing support to older and younger people living with dementia, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. The service can accommodate up to 72 people. At the time of our assessment there were 68 people using the service.
This assessment was completed to follow up on action we told the previous provider to take at the last assessment in January 2025. At that assessment, the provider was found to be in breach of 2 legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance. At this assessment, we found sufficient improvement had been made to address the actions needed and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.
The provider had worked collaboratively and had addressed all concerns found at our last inspection. Governance systems had been effectively implemented. The management team had taken steps to improve systems regarding medicines and strengthened oversight.
Risks associated with people's care were identified and managed to keep people safe. People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who were competent in medicines administration. Staff were aware of their responsibility to protect people from abuse and harm, and to follow the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
Care plans included people's life histories, personal preferences and outcomes. Care plans were reviewed and detailed. People were referred to health professionals when needed and advice was followed and recorded in care plans.
The provider was keen to learn and drive improvements and lessons were learnt when things went wrong. An effective system was in place to analyse accidents and incidents and trends and patterns were identified, and where necessary improvements were made and outcomes shared with others.
Staff communicated handovers of people’s needs efficiently. We observed staff serving lunch and found the mealtime experience was good; staff were engaged with people and offered choices and support as required. Staff were kind and caring and supported people to meet their needs in a person-centred way.
Staff and leaders worked well together to ensure consistency of care. There was clear leadership, and it was evident who the leaders were within the organisation. The improvements evidenced at this assessment needed to be sustained and embedded into practice so the provider and the service could continue their journey of improvement.
People's experience of this service
During the assessment, we spoke with 6 people living in the home and 14 relatives by telephone to gather their experience of care.
People and relatives consistently told us the home was a safe and supportive place to live and felt staff understood their needs well. Many people said they felt safe because staff were present and the environment was secure, with comments such as, “I feel as safe as I would anywhere,” and relatives often saying, “[My relative] is safe and the staff are all amazing.” Several relatives described improvements in people’s wellbeing since moving in, including one who said their family member was “a different person now” after previously experiencing significant health difficulties. A few people mentioned past falls, but said staff responded quickly, and relatives told us when falls happened staff were “very thorough” and ensured people were checked in hospital when needed.
Views on staffing were mixed. Some people and relatives felt there were enough staff and they were “always around,” while others felt there could be more staff during busy times, especially weekends. A small number of people gave examples of waiting for support, but these experiences were not consistent across feedback, and staffing levels appeared safe during our assessment. Despite differing views on numbers, people overwhelmingly described staff as kind, caring and attentive, often saying staff treated them like family. Comments included, “They are caring, compassionate and friendly,” and one person said staff “go above and beyond.”
People felt their health needs were met, and relatives gave examples of staff responding appropriately when concerns arose, such as noticing swelling or supporting people with ongoing conditions. People said they received their medicines on time, and relatives told us staff arranged doctors, district nurses or hospital appointments when required. People also spoke about choice and independence; many said they could make decisions about their day-to-day life. Others described positive dining experiences with plenty of food choices, while some felt meals could vary.
Feedback about activities was positive. People enjoyed social opportunities, entertainment, visits from singers, outings and themed events, and relatives said, “There is always something happening.” People who preferred quiet time said they could stay in their rooms. Relatives valued that staff encouraged participation and supported individuals to engage in meaningful activities.
People and relatives spoke positively about the cleanliness and environment, describing it as fresh, welcoming and well maintained.
Overall, people and relatives consistently described the staff team as caring, respectful and warm. Many highlighted strong relationships, saying staff knew people well, communicated clearly and understood their needs. Comments included, “They [staff] are like family.” Relatives felt involved in care and confident staff acted on concerns. Many praised the leadership team, describing the home as well managed and approachable. Although not all relatives had attended meetings or received questionnaires, most felt well informed, appreciated regular communication and said they would recommend the home to others.