Holmlea Care Home

Who the service is for

This service supports older people and people living with dementia.

Key findings

We carried out this inspection from 28 July until 7 August 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.

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 understood when Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations would need to be sought, the impact of the recent Supreme Court judgement and what to do if there were conditions imposed. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives. Capacity assessments and ‘best interest decisions’ were in place, but these needed to be extended to cover any restrictions, such as needing to go out with staff. The management team took immediate action to address them.

People received safe, person-centred care from a staff team who knew them well and were committed to achieving positive outcomes. People and relatives consistently spoke positively about the service and told us they felt safe, well cared for and treated with dignity and respect. Feedback from relatives described staff as kind, knowledgeable and responsive, and highlighted significant improvements in people’s wellbeing since moving into the home. Staff understood people's individual needs, responded promptly to changes in their health and wellbeing and worked effectively with healthcare professionals to achieve positive outcomes. Medicines were managed safely. Recruitment processes were operating effectively, and the service was clean and well maintained. The registered manager had developed a learning culture where accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns were reviewed to identify lessons and drive improvement.

There was a strong culture of safety and learning. Staff understood people’s needs and risks were generally well managed. Staffing levels met people’s needs and staff received a range of training and regular supervision. Staff worked effectively with healthcare professionals to ensure people received timely support and treatment when their needs changed.

The management team demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement. Quality assurance systems included regular audits, accident and incident analysis, action planning and review processes. The provider had introduced initiatives to strengthen oversight of care, including resident-focused reviews and daily leadership meetings. Feedback from people who use the service and their relative questionnaires was highly positive, with all respondents stating they would recommend the service to others. People, relatives and staff described leaders as visible, approachable and responsive to feedback.

Overall, Holmlea Care Home demonstrated a positive culture focused on safety, continuous improvement and achieving good outcomes for people.