- Care home
Acorn Court Care Home
Assessment report published 28 July 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 30 June 2026 to 3 July 2026
Acorn Court Care Home is a nursing home registered to provide care and support for up to 86 people, some of whom were living with dementia. At the time of the assessment, there were 76 people living in the service.
People received safe care provided by appropriately trained staff. Staff knew how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns internally and externally. Risk assessments and care plans contained sufficient information for staff to follow to keep people safe. Medicines were managed safely and where we identified minor areas of improvement, the registered manager addressed these before our second site visit.
People’s medicines were managed safely and there were governance systems in place to review the quality of the care provided. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. The environment was clean, and staff undertook regular checks of the environment.
People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the service. Staff worked well with healthcare professionals and other external organisations to monitor and improve people’s health. Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Staff told us their workloads were manageable and they felt very supported by the provider. Staff told us the registered manager was exceptionally capable and compassionate.
Information was available in formats that suited people’s preferences. The registered manager understood how barriers in relation to people’s care affected them and they were aware of the challenges faced by people. They told us they encouraged an open culture, and feedback from people, their relatives, staff and healthcare professionals reflected this.
The provider worked well with partners in the local community and there was a shared direction amongst the staff team. Staff told us they felt able to speak up and they felt confident concerns would be addressed.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives told us Acorn Court was a safe service with compassionate, skilled staff who took the time to get to know them. They told us they received their medicines in line with their preferences.
People and their relatives told us the environment was clean and that staff followed infection prevention and control guidance. They told us there were sufficient staff to meet their needs during the day and at nighttime, they felt able to speak up if they had concerns, and they had access to healthcare professionals where they needed this. They told us they were able to request what they wished to eat and drink in line with their preferences.
People and their relatives told us care was responsive to people’s needs and that staff worked well together with healthcare professionals and other external partners to achieve positive outcomes for people. They told us staff escalated concerns in relation to healthcare needs appropriately, and they ensured people were at the centre of the decision-making process by respecting their choices.
People and their relatives told us there was a positive culture at the service, and that the service was led by a capable registered manager who involved them in their care planning. They told us the registered manager listened to their suggestions and addressed concerns in a timely way.