The Hawthorns

Updated 9 September 2026

About the service

The Hawthorns is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support to people living independently within a retirement living scheme. The service supports older adults with a range of needs, including physical health conditions, mobility difficulties, dementia, sensory and communication needs, and long-term health conditions, enabling people to remain living in their own homes with support tailored to their individual needs and preferences. At the time of this assessment, the service was providing personal care and support to 13 people.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates the personal care and support that people may receive. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

Who the service is for

This service is registered to support older adults, younger adults, people with dementia, physical and sensory disabilities and mental health conditions.

Our view of the service

Our assessment was carried out remotely between 10 September 2026 and 21 September 2026 as part of a Return to Good assessment.

Overall, the evidence reviewed showed that people were receiving safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led support from a staff team that knew them well and understood their individual needs. We found evidence of a positive learning culture where incidents, concerns and medication errors were reported, reviewed and used as opportunities for learning and improvement. Safeguarding systems were in place and people, relatives and staff consistently told us that people were safe and well supported. Risk assessments and care plans reflected people's individual needs and showed that risks were managed in a way that promoted independence, choice and control whilst maintaining safety.

The service had systems in place to support safe environments, effective staffing and medicines optimisation. Staffing levels were maintained through effective rota management, recruitment processes were robust and staff received regular training, supervision and competency assessments. Medicines were managed through established systems including audits, competency checks and management oversight. Care records showed that people's needs were assessed comprehensively and care was delivered in line with identified needs, risks, professional guidance and personal preferences.

People were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity and were supported to maintain independence and make choices about their daily lives. Care planning was person centred and reflected what was important to people, their routines, preferences and desired outcomes. Feedback from people using the service, relatives and professionals was consistently positive, with people describing staff as caring, supportive and respectful. People told us they felt listened to, involved in decisions about their care and supported in ways that reflected their individual needs and circumstances. We also found evidence that reasonable adjustments were considered within care planning and that support was tailored to meet people's communication, mobility, health and wellbeing needs.

The management team showed a clear commitment to shared values, positive culture and continuous improvement. Governance systems, audits, supervision processes and quality assurance arrangements were established and used to monitor performance, identify areas for development and support service improvement. Managers were open and responsive to feedback and showed effective oversight of care quality, safety and staffing. There was evidence that learning from incidents, audits, feedback and quality monitoring activities was shared with staff and used to promote improvement across the service.

Updated 9 September 2026

Feedback from people, relatives and staff was overwhelmingly positive and reflected a service where people felt safe, valued, respected and supported to remain independent within their own homes.

People spoke warmly about the care and support they received. One person described the service as, “Very good” and explained, “They ask how I would like it done and they do it the way I like.” Another person told us they had, “No complaints” and said staff were approachable and supportive. People consistently described positive relationships with staff and spoke about being treated with dignity and respect. Staff feedback supported this, with one member of staff explaining, “Person centred care is at the centre of what we do” and staff recognised, “Every person is an individual with their own preferences, routines, abilities, communication needs and choices.”

Relatives were equally positive about the care provided. One relative described the care and support their family member received as, “Excellent” and told us, “The care and support my [relative] receives from The Hawthorns is excellent” and described care as “Constantly excellent.” One family member commented, “Care at The Hawthorns works well,” whilst another said, “I’m happy so far with the care and support that is being provided by The Hawthorns” and described the experience as, “A very pleasant experience.”

A strong theme throughout feedback was the kindness, attentiveness and genuine relationships developed between people and staff. One relative told us, “The staff at The Hawthorns are always happy and attentive. They always have the time to discuss any queries I may have.” Another relative explained staff were, “Always supportive” and highlighted the positive impact support had on their family member's wellbeing, explaining regular walks around the garden had, “Improved [relative's] mood.” Another relative told us, “Some of [relatives] carers go far above what is required of them and are brilliant with [relative]. They engage with [relative] well and chat for a while which [relative] appreciates greatly.” They added, “They have become friends rather than carers which I feel is a great accolade for those particular staff members.”

People and relatives consistently told us they felt safe and reassured by the support they received. One relative explained, “They always respond to help and call me,” whilst another told us, “Yes, I am contacted with any concerns regarding [relative's] health and care.” Relatives described communication as, “Very clear and concise” and said staff and managers kept them informed about changes, incidents and concerns affecting their family member.

Staff feedback reflected confidence in the care being delivered. One staff member told us, “We should not restrict someone’s independence because there is a potential risk,” describing how people were supported to make choices and remain as independent as possible. Another staff member explained people were encouraged to choose their own meals, clothing and routines and staff always sought consent before providing support. Staff expressed confidence in the service overall, with one staff member stating they, “Would not hesitate” to have a family member supported by The Hawthorns because they regularly saw people being treated with, “Respect, dignity and compassion.”