- Care home
Eastbourne Care Home
Assessment report published 17 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 18 June to 17 July 2026. The service is a residential nursing home providing support to older people and people living with a dementia.
At our last assessment the service was rated requires improvement and a breach of regulation was found in relation to good governance. This related to oversight of premises safety, risk management, failure to involve people in care planning and governance. This assessment was carried out to review progress made by the provider, and because we had received concerns from healthcare partners about risks at the service. We found that the provider remained in breach of regulation in relation to governance, and identified an additional breach of regulation in relation to supporting people to maintain their independence and engage with the community.
Some safety aspects relating to the premises had been addressed since our last assessment, but in other areas new risks had not been identified or addressed. Care records did not always contain consistent or detailed information, including managing risk. Consent to care was not consistently obtained or recorded. Records did not always evidence that an effective system was in place to ensure medicines were safely managed. Healthcare partners did not always feel that the service worked in effective partnership with them. Staff told us they did not always feel supported in their roles or informed of ongoing changes at the service. The provider’s governance processes had not consistently introduced or sustained improvement. In addition, people were not always supported to maintain their independence and engage with the community.
Staff were supported with regular training, but supervisions and appraisals were not always effective in assisting their ongoing development. Infection prevention and control systems were in place, though some areas of the home needed a more thorough clean.
Some bedrooms and communal areas had been personalised in line with people’s choices, but this had not been done consistently.
Systems were in place to investigate and respond to complaints. Staff were able to communicate with people effectively. People were encouraged to think about and discuss their future plans.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment. Full information about CQC's regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during assessments is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.
People's experience of this service
People spoke positively about staff at the service and said they were happy. One person told us, “The staff are really good.” However, people also said there as limited social engagement at the service and that they and their relatives did not always know who service leaders were. During our visit most people spent the majority of their time in their rooms, with limited interaction with other people or staff.