St Heliers Care Home

St Heliers Hotel in Folkestone provides personal care and accommodation for up to 30 older people, most of whom live with dementia. At the time of our inspection, 23 people were living at the home. Overall, the quality of service has improved notably since the last inspection under the guidance of a newly appointed manager who is currently registering with the CQC. Families shared that their relatives feel safe and receive the individual care they need, while the provider has successfully resolved previous regulatory breaches.

Risks to health and safety are properly assessed, and incidents are investigated so lessons can be learned. Staff are recruited through thorough safety checks, and medicines are managed correctly. However, some repositioning records were incomplete, and the fire risk assessment was out of date at the time of the inspection, though the manager promptly arranged for an external company to update it.

The home works within legal frameworks to support people's capacity and choice, with proper applications submitted when people require authorized restrictions. People receive nutritious meals tailored to their dietary needs, and staff quickly connect residents with healthcare professionals when health concerns arise. At the same time, internal audits revealed that some staff training and regular formal supervisions had fallen behind schedule, though plans are in place to address these gaps.

Residents and relatives consistently describe the staff as kind, respectful, and attentive to individual needs. Staff know people well and actively encourage residents to maintain their independence as much as possible. While visitors are always welcomed and families feel listened to, staff noted they can feel rushed at times, prompting the manager to work on increasing shift staffing levels.

Care is tailored to each person's preferences and medical background, with thorough pre-assessments conducted before anyone moves into the home. Staff work well together and maintain effective communication both within the team and with external healthcare professionals to support residents' overall wellbeing.

The management team has established a clear vision and an open culture supported by numerous quality assurance audits. While the manager and governance framework successfully caught many areas for development, certain inaccuracies and outdated records were missed by internal audits until inspectors pointed them out. The manager took immediate corrective action to resolve these issues, and further improvements remain underway.