The Conifers Healthcare Limited

The Conifers is a care home with nursing providing care and accommodation for up to 30 older people, some of who were living with dementia. At the time of this assessment 28 people received care and support at The Conifers

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 11 September 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

Staff supporting people had the skill and knowledge to support and meet people’s needs effectively. Most staff had worked in the service for many years and knew people very well. People and relatives spoke highly about staff and the support and care they received at The Conifers. A relative said, “The carers and the manager are very kind, responsive and caring.”

People received their medicines when they needed them, and by staff who were trained and competent. However, we identified one isolated instance of a missing witness signature relating to the administration of controlled drugs, which we have asked the registered manager to address.

Staff understood their responsibility to safeguard people from the risk of abuse; they were knowledgeable about what concerns they would need to report and to whom. A staff member said, “I will tell the manager or deputy manager if I have any concerns of residents not being safe.”

Risks to people were identified and risk assessments had been carried out to manage and mitigate risks.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives. People were at the centre of the planning and review of their support; to help ensure they received person centred care in line with their preferences, choices and needs. We saw on the day that people were consistently offered choices.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. Staff and management worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice control and freedom over their lives. We observed staff consistently asking people what they wanted and giving people a choice. This was confirmed when speaking to people. A person said, “I chose when to get up, what to eat and what to wear.”

People were supported by caring and compassionate staff who promoted choices in a way people understood. We observed staff spoke to people with warmth and dignity. Staff promoted people’s independence in all areas of their life to ensure people lived the life they wanted. A member of staff told us, “It is important to treat people with dignity and care, this is what we all want and expect.”