- Care home
Saffrons Care Home
Assessment report published 1 July 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 22 April to 30 April 2026
Saffrons Care Home is a residential care home for up to 18 older people. At the time of inspection there were 18 people living at the service. Accommodation was provided over 3 floors, all of which were accessible by a lift. This inspection was prompted by the age of the previous rating. At our last inspection in January 2019, the service was rated Good, at this inspection it has changed to Requires Improvement.
People’s care plans and risk assessments did not always reflect their assessed needs. Additionally, people and their relatives were not actively involved in developing and reviewing care plans. People were not always involved in making decisions about their care. Assessments of mental capacity lacked robust evidence and information to support informed decision making, and best interest discussions had not been recorded.
People‘s food choices were limited and there was a lack of variety. Meals were not always nutritionally balanced or appealing. Audits and quality assurance systems were in place. However, actions were not always followed up. The provider was in breach of the regulation relating to governance. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
Staff and the registered manager knew people well and understood their needs, which helped to mitigate risk. People were encouraged to maintain their independence whilst promoting choice of their care. People were treated with dignity and respect. People were supported by a consistent staff team who were trained and competent to carry out their role. Staff and the registered manager worked collaboratively with professionals.
Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles.
Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Policies were kept up to date and in line with relevant legislation. The environment was clean, tidy, and free from risk of harm but there had been an active pest outbreak which was in being managed by external pest control services. The provider had invested in the building and working was being taken to improve external and internal appearance.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives told us that staff were kind and caring. People’s comments include ‘Saffrons has a nice atmosphere, it feels like walking into someone's home,’ ‘it's very nice here,’ ‘Staff treat me well, ’‘It’s homely,’ ‘I think there are enough staff,’ ‘The food, its pretty good, I don’t think everyone likes it, but it’s not bad.’
People were encouraged to maintain their independence by accessing the community where physical able to. A person said ‘I go out every day for a walk. I let them know and then give them a time I will be back, usually for lunch. Sometimes I go out with my girlfriend, she lives here too’
While people we spoke to expressed that they were generally happy, our assessment found that elements of care did not meet the expected standards, especially in relation to person-centred care planning and meals which is an identified area for improvement.