- Care home
The Royal
Assessment report published 23 February 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 12 February – 20 February 2026. We visited the service on 12 February 2026 and reviewed the care and support people received along with their care records and management information. The Royal is a ‘nursing home’ and provides both nursing and residential care to older people. Some people using the service were living with dementia. The Royal can accommodate up to 57 people. On the day of inspection there were 56 people living in the service. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. We carried out this assessment under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act.
The provider was previously in breach of legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of this regulation. There were no breaches of regulation found at this inspection and the provider was rated good in all key questions.
The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and analysed by the management team. The provider shared safeguarding concerns quickly and appropriately. People told us they felt safe living at The Royal. The provider followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) to review people’s capacity and understanding around receiving care and support. People’s care plans were detailed and contained information about their care needs and how these should be met. Members of staff worked together well to provide safe care which met people’s individual needs. There were sufficient members of staff available to meet people’s needs throughout the care home. Administration of medicines was managed safely, and members of staff were knowledgeable about safe administration of medicines.
People’s care plans were person-centred and clearly identified how care should be delivered in line with people’s wishes. The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. People’s care notes were recorded clearly and accurately which supported continuity of care between different teams of staff. People were asked about their consent to care and support and their decisions recorded. People’s capacity to make decisions was reviewed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and where people lacked capacity, decisions were made in people’s best interests.
Members of staff were kind and caring, and they treated people with dignity and respect. The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. People were encouraged and supported to maintain their independence. The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
People received care and support which was person-centred and reflected their personal preferences. Members of staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. People were able to access the care and support they needed, when they needed it. Discussions took place with people and their families about planning for future care needs. Appropriate end-of-life care and support was put in place when it was needed for people.
The management team had a clear vision for the care home where people received good quality care personalised to their needs. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. The registered manager was very knowledgeable about people and their needs. The registered manager completed comprehensive audits and reviews which were discussed and monitored by the provider. This ensured there was a system of accountability and a focus on continuous service improvement. The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with a range of different people and people’s families about their experiences of care and support. People were happy with the quality of care provided and told us they felt safe living at The Royal. People felt confident to raise any concerns they had about care. People told us members of staff were responsive to calls for assistance. One person said, “Staff come quickly, if I need them to, most times.” Another person said, “Staff usually come fairly promptly. It is usually the same staff.” During the assessment we observed members of staff present throughout the care home. They were available, friendly, helpful and willing to provide support. People were referred for specialist advice and support. One relative told us, “[Family member] had a lot of falls. The falls team came in and decided [family member] wouldn’t know to use a walker. We agreed they would always walk with the staff and now [family member] does a slow shuffle. The staff always make sure [family member] uses the appropriate equipment and walks with them, I am very pleased about that.” Activities were provided in group sessions and on a 1-1 basis. A member of staff told us, “People choose what they want to do. I have a lady who loves doing jigsaws, I have 1 on my trolley to take to her. We have Play Doh, which is sensory, paint, crochet, baking and lots of crafting. We are going to make a garland to go in the cafe for Valentines Day when we have the Valentines Party. Last Thursday we had an entertainer who played music from the 1920s. I plan a month at a time. We are arranging an event for Red Nose Day where we are all going to dress in red and raise money. We have had special days like PJ (Pyjama) days. At the end of every month we have a special day. We had a pizza day last Monday night.” Another member of staff told us, “I like to give hand massages and I chat to people about their lives. One person likes to listen to Jazz music and I put this on for them. They enjoy it and tap along to the music. I bring in monthly train magazines for a person. We have a person who is blind. Their family bring in books they like and I read to them.” We asked people if there was anything they think could be improved about the care home. One person told us, “Nothing [could be improved], it is good.” Another person said, “I am happy, it is nice.”