Link House

Updated 11 September 2025

Date of Assessment: 15 September 2025.

Link House is a residential care home that provides nursing and personal care and support to older people. The service can accommodate up to 52 people across 3 separate floors, each with their own adapted facilities. At the time of this inspection, 52 people resided at the care home, most of whom were living with dementia.

We undertook this inspection because we received information of concern from the local authority.

2 adult social care inspectors conducted this unannounced onsite responsive assessment. We reviewed all 15 quality statements related to the 2 key questions, is the service safe and well-led? For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at their last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

Based on the findings of this inspection we continue to rate the service good overall.

The atmosphere in the care home was relaxed and calm. Feedback from managers and staff was positive. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications, and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular support and appraisals to maintain good-quality care. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes.

Managers and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Managers 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. People with protected characteristics felt supported. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers and staff collaborated with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to innovative ideas. There was a culture of continuous learning and improvement, and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly.

Updated 11 September 2025

During our inspection, we spoke in-person with 8 people living in the care home, 3 visiting relatives/friends and an external community health care professional. We also spoke to various managers and staff who worked at the care home including, the services registered manager, deputy manager, 2 area quality assurance managers, the care homes administrator and, 7 care workers. Furthermore, we received email feedback about the care home from an external health care professional. People were positive about the quality of the care and support provided by the home. People described the culture within the care home as open, friendly, and welcoming and the staff who worked there, as kind and compassionate. Typical feedback included, “I do like living here. I am very happy with the home and the staff who are all lovely. I couldn’t think of a better place to be,” “The staff are marvellous. Always so friendly and caring to my [family member]. This is a wonderful care home. I can’t fault the place” and “Link House is a welcoming home with a relaxed atmosphere. Clients and families, I’ve met spoke highly of the staff, stating they are helpful and engaging. People appear well-cared for and happy there.” People’s safety was prioritised, and managers and staff knew how to keep people safe from abuse or harm. People were treated with kindness and compassion by suitably knowledgeable and skilled staff. Some people could not directly tell us about their experiences of living at the care home. We used a structured observation tool to assess whether they received safe care. This approach showed people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them.