- Care home
The Callywhite Care Home
Assessment report published 20 August 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 29 July to 11 August 2026. The service is a residential care home providing support to adults, some of whom live with dementia, mental health conditions, sensory impairments and/or a physical disability. The service is registered to support up to 39 people. At the time of our inspection, 31 people were living at the service.
We carried out this assessment in response to information of concern we received about risks to people using the service and because of the length of time since we carried out the last inspection.
People received safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care from a service with a strong person-centred culture. Staff knew people well and involved them and their families in decisions about their care, support and future planning. People were supported to maintain their independence, make choices and access activities, visitors and healthcare services promoted their wellbeing and quality of life.
There were effective systems in place to assess needs, manage risks, safeguard people from harm and ensure continuity of care. Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals and families to support positive outcomes, and people's care plans reflected their individual preferences, histories, cultural needs and changing circumstances. The service promoted a positive learning culture, with incidents, accidents and concerns were reviewed regularly to identify lessons learned and drive improvement.
The service benefited from visible, approachable and knowledgeable leadership. Staff told us they felt valued, supported and able to raise concerns, while robust governance systems enabled leaders to maintain oversight of quality and safety. Leaders demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement through audits, action plans, external reviews and engagement with local networks and healthcare partners.
Although the service was performing well overall, we identified some areas where further improvements could be made. These included strengthening medicines management processes, improving oversight of some care records and considering enhancements to make the environment more dementia friendly.
Overall, the service demonstrated a commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate and personalised care, underpinned by effective leadership, strong governance and a culture of openness, learning and continuous improvement.
People's experience of this service
Feedback from people and their relatives was positive and demonstrated people experienced caring, compassionate and person-centred support. People consistently described staff as kind, attentive and committed to delivering high-quality care. One person told us, "I couldn't wish for better," and spoke warmly about how staff had helped them enlarge photographs of their late wife, reflecting the thoughtful and personalised support provided. This person then went on to say, "A lot of people don't know about these care homes, they don't know what they're missing," while others commented, "The attention to people is good" and, "Staff are kind and caring, they are lovely people."
Relatives spoke highly of the care their loved ones received, and the compassion shown by staff. Comments included, "The staff are very caring, above average, even if something is difficult, they are still very kind." And, "The quality of care from the majority of the staff is exemplary, they understand [family member] and they do a good job." One relative told us, "Staff leave [family members] music on at night, they live for music, they know what they like to snack wise. I can tell they love [family member]." Another commented, "I think staff have a hard job and being compassionate is a strength they have."
People and relatives told us they felt involved in care and were kept informed about changes. One relative said, "We raised concerns about [family members] health and medication, and it was sorted, there is good two-way communication." Another told us, "If there is a change in [family members] care plan, they are good, they do contact me." This feedback demonstrated the service's commitment to working in partnership with people and those important to them.
The environment and support services within the home were also praised. One relative described the accommodation by saying, "[Family members] room is lovely, I could live in that room, the building is like a hotel, clean, tidy and modern." Another highlighted the standards of housekeeping and maintenance, commenting, "They have maintenance men and cleaners on the go all day and the laundry is marvellous, they wash [family members] clothes and bring them back."
People and relatives also spoke positively about the leadership of the service. One relative told us, "It is well managed, we see the owners who are approachable, they put on events and they are fantastic. The manager is very good, very approachable."