- Care home
The Depperhaugh
Assessment report published 30 June 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Inspection: 13 May to 17 June 2026. The Depperhaugh is a residential care home with nursing for up to 30 older people including people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 26 people living there. This inspection was carried out due to the length of time since the last inspection.
The Depperhaugh was a safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led service. People’s experience of care and support was positive, and the service demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering person-centred care within a compassionate and inclusive culture.
Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. Relationships between people, staff and relatives were warm and meaningful. Feedback from relatives and professionals was positive, highlighting the significant impact the service had on people’s wellbeing and quality of life.
There was strong and visible leadership. The registered manager was highly regarded by staff, people and relatives and promoted a culture of openness, learning and continuous improvement. Staff felt supported and valued, which contributed to a positive working environment and effective team working.
People were supported to stay safe. There were clear systems in place to identify, report and learn from incidents, and staff understood their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Risks to people were identified and managed; however, some improvements were required to ensure care records and risk assessments were up to date and reflective of current needs. The registered manager took prompt action to address these issues.
Care and support was well coordinated and responsive to people’s needs, with good partnership working across healthcare services. People were supported to maintain their health and wellbeing and had access to healthcare professionals when required. A wide range of activities and opportunities were provided, ensuring people remained engaged and connected to their interests and the community.
Governance systems were in place and generally effective, although they had not identified the recording issues found during the inspection. Action was taken to strengthen oversight and improve documentation.
People's experience of this service
Overall, the majority of people and relatives described their experience of The Depperhaugh as positive, safe and supportive. They told us they felt well cared for, valued and treated with dignity and respect. Relatives spoke with confidence about the quality of care provided and the difference the service had made to their family members’ well-being. A relative commented, “It’s the best it can be – everyone's caring.” People told us they felt safe living at the service, and relatives described the staff as attentive and consistently highlighted the kindness, compassion and approachability. Relatives told us staff understood what was important to people, including their individual preferences, routines and identity. A relative told us, “Yes, [family member] is safe, staff seem to check on them regularly, [family member] is always washed and dressed and clean, as is the bed linen and the bedroom. The front door is locked, and staff check everyone in and out.” People’s health and well-being needs were met, and relatives felt well informed about any changes. People benefited from a range of activities and social opportunities, which contributed to their quality of life. These included group activities, one-to-one engagement and opportunities to access the community. Relatives told us these activities helped people maintain interests, build relationships and, in some cases, regain confidence and enjoyment in daily life. A relative told us, “I would recommend this care home. Now that all the issues [family member] first had have been sorted, [family member] is much more content. The home itself is bright and airy, rooms are lovely and the food is excellent.” While feedback was overwhelmingly positive, some people and relatives indicated that staffing levels could occasionally feel stretched, although this did not detract from the overall experience of care. Most people felt staff were responsive and available when needed.