- Care home
Waterhouse Manor Care Home
This care home is run by two companies: Care UK Care Services Limited and Danforth Care Fordham Limited. These two companies have a dual registration and are jointly responsible for the services at the home.
Assessment report published 2 November 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Waterhouse Manor Care Home has a dual registration, and both providers are responsible for the service delivery at this location. At the time of the inspection, there was no registered manager in post; however, an application for registration had been submitted by the manager.
We undertook an assessment of Waterhouse Manor Care Home between 9 August and 29 September 2026. We visited the service on 13 August 16 September 2026. Waterhouse Manor is a care home for older people some of whom were living with dementia. It can accommodate up to 66 people over 2 floors. At the time of our visit, 41 people were living at the service.
The inspection was prompted in part by concerns we received about the service which included staffing levels and staff recruitment. It became a dual registered service in August 2024 and therefore had not been inspected under the new legal entity.
People were supported by a staff team that knew them well. We observed positive interactions and staff were kind and respectful. People and their relatives told us they were involved in their assessments. People received safe and effective care and were protected from the risk of avoidable harm. People received their medicines as prescribed and staff monitored people’s health to support healthy living.
Care and support were delivered in a person-centred way. Staff offered choice and promoted independence, including around daily routines, meals and activities. Risks were well managed and proportionate, with clear care planning to promote people’s safety.
The service was clean, fresh and well-maintained. Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of infection and cross contamination and staff followed good practice.
Safe systems were in place for the recruitment of staff. People had individualised care plans, and the management of individual risks were undertaken by staff.
A complaints procedure was in place, and people were able to access this. The records showed that action had been taken in line with the policy.
Staff received regular training and had their competencies checked. Staff spoke favourably of the management team and felt listened to and consulted. The provider’s monitoring systems were effective.
Staff described a learning culture where ideas were encouraged, and improvements embedded across the service.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives spoke positively about the care and support provided at the service. Comments included, “I am perfectly safe here, the environment people around me, quite a nice place, staff look
People and their relatives spoke positively about the care and support provided at the service. Comments included, “I am perfectly safe here, the environment people around me, quite a nice place, staff look after me well enough, staff are quite respectful,” “Everyone is working hard to keep my relative comfortable here, they are washing and dressing my relative every day to keep them clean” and “My relative adores the girls, trusts them completely. They give my relative everything they could ask for.”
People had access to a variety of activities designed to promote social engagement, wellbeing, and enjoyment. One person told us, “They do all sorts of activities, can join in if you want, I like the chair exercises.” Although we were told they do not always happen, with one person saying, “Activities don’t always happen as they [Activity staff] have to muck in if they are short staffed, they are pulled away sometimes when someone needs 2 people to help.”
People’s relatives and friends were able to visit freely and spend time with their loved ones. One relative said, “We can go in at any time.” The service supported and encouraged visits to promote ongoing relationships and maintain people’s social connections.
We observed staff treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. One person told us, “Staff do respect what you say, they say do speak to us if you are unhappy about anything.” Another person said, “Staff always knock, even if they have already been in and come back, very polite.” A third person told us, “We are listened to, it’s our choice when we get up, me at 6 and bed by 11.”
Staff responded promptly to people’s requests for assistance and were attentive to their individual needs, offering support and encouragement in a caring manner.
Most people were mainly positive about the meals provided comments included, “Food pretty good, get choice,” “Food quite good, I can ask for a cup of tea if I want one” and “Staff do lasagne well, get fresh fruit chopped up mousse, we have lollies, ice-cream as a sweet, a good variety, we had runner beans from the garden, nice scones homemade.”
Call bells were consistently answered in a timely way, ensuring people did not have to wait unnecessarily for help.
An activities schedule was available. Comments included, “My choice to do activities, I like the exercises, singing, good crafts quizzes” and “I walk around the garden every day then sit outside if the weather is nice, local clergy comes in.”