CQC Location ID:1-2995143295
Date of Assessment: 30 April 2025 to 16 July 2025. During this inspection we inspected 10 quality statements under the key questions of safe, caring, responsive and well-led. Melton House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 58 older people some of whom may live with dementia. The care home accommodates people over three floors in a purpose-built building. At the time of the inspection, there were 56 people living at the service. The home had a very well maintained and tastefully decorated environment and grounds that were used by people, their friends, and relatives. There was a positive culture and atmosphere at the home and visitors were welcomed with no restrictions. People’s food and fluid needs were met and people told us they enjoyed the food. Care plans were person-centered, and medicines were administered safely. Risk assessments were in place and regularly reviewed. People were fully integrated into the local community. They had access to an abundance of activities which enhanced their well being and sense of purpose. The staff felt extremely passionate about this and continuously looked for new, meaningful activities or events to minimise social isolation. Staff recruitment processes meant staff were suitable for their roles and supported people safely. Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding processes and respected people’s wishes. Where people were unable to make their own decisions. They were supported in-line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff had positive links with health care professionals which promoted people's well-being. Staff were fully committed to providing a truly person-centered service. Staff were extremely proud to work for the service and said they felt supported by the whole management team. People said staff were undoubtedly caring and knew their needs very well. People were treated with the utmost respect by compassionate and kind staff who showed empathy with all their interactions. The management team were extremely knowledgeable and understood the responsibilities of their roles. They had excellent quality assurance systems in place to ensure oversight of the service.
The outcomes for people receiving care and support were exceptional and we received extremely positive feedback from people and relatives about the care provided. People told us they felt safe and were fully involved in the planning of their care. Relatives and people gave us several examples where the provider had taken steps to go above and beyond to ensure people were involved in activities that were meaningful to them. When gathering people’s views, we spoke with people and their relatives, reviewed written complaints and compliments, looked at feedback from surveys and minutes of meetings. People spoke positively about the quality of care. They felt staff were kind and respectful and treated them well, upholding their dignity. People’s rights were respected, and consent was sought prior to providing support. People felt able to complain or make suggestions about the service. They told us they felt listened to and improvements were made when they shared their views. Feedback received from relatives was overwhelmingly positive. One relative told us, “Preswick is an exemplary organisation, but it’s the talented and tenacious team on the ground at Melton House that personalise the experience for families, carers and loved ones. It has given me and my family such comfort and reassurance.”