Forest Home

Forest Home is a residential care home accommodating up to 39 older people and individuals living with dementia. At the time of our inspection, 36 people were living in the adapted building, which features a dedicated wing for dementia care. Families considering this home will find a supportive community where residents and their relatives consistently report feeling safe and well-cared for by a dedicated team. However, the latest inspection highlighted several administrative and operational areas that require focused improvement by the management.

Regarding safety, medicine management was not always robust, as physical stock counts did not match records and pain relief was occasionally administered inconsistently. While people felt safe and had access to call bells and health professionals, the home lacked dedicated storage leading to clutter, and some staff training on safeguarding was overdue.

The effectiveness of care showed mixed outcomes due to inconsistent staff training and record-keeping. Although basic core training was completed, some staff lacked refresher courses or specific condition awareness like diabetes, and care plans needed more detail. Positively, staff successfully obtained consent and worked well with local healthcare services.

Staff showed genuine kindness and positive relationships with residents, yet some practices fell short of fully respecting dignity. Inspectors found instances where private office doors with personal records were left unsecured, daily notes used inappropriate language, and residents' access to personal choices like a glass of wine depended inconsistently on which staff were on duty.

For responsiveness, the service maintained clear complaints policies and ensured residents could raise concerns easily. Care plans adequately covered general support needs and health monitoring, though further personalized detail was needed to ensure completely consistent daily support for every individual.

Leadership and oversight across the home were not always effective. Internal quality monitoring systems failed to catch shortfalls found during the inspection, such as medication discrepancies and privacy issues, though the manager took prompt action to address and resolve concerns immediately when pointed out.