Fir Trees Care Home

What families say

Some families have found real warmth in the way individual carers interact with residents. Staff take an unhurried approach when spending time with people, and the home organises outings that give residents something to look forward to.

Based on 7 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth70
• Compassion & dignity72
• Cleanliness65
• Activities & engagement62
• Food quality60
• Healthcare62
• Management & leadership75
• Resident happiness68

What inspectors found

Inspected 2023-11-22 · Report published 2023-11-22 · Inspected 4 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Requires improvement

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Requires Improvement at the October 2023 inspection. This means inspectors identified at least one area where the home did not fully meet the expected standard for keeping people safe. The overall rating improved from Requires Improvement to Good, which suggests other domains strengthened significantly, but safety concerns had not been fully resolved at the time of this inspection. The published report summary does not specify whether the concern relates to staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, or incident response. Fir Trees cares for people with dementia and physical disabilities, both groups for whom gaps in safety practice carry particular risk.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Requires Improvement rating in Safe is the finding in this report that deserves the most attention. Our Good Practice evidence base, drawn from 61 studies, identifies night staffing as the point in the day where safety most often slips in care homes, and this is especially true in homes caring for people with dementia who may move around at night or become distressed. The published findings do not tell us whether the concern here was about staffing numbers, medicines, or something else, so you cannot assess the level of risk without asking directly. Families in our review data mention staff attentiveness (featured in 14% of positive reviews) as something they notice and value. On your visit, pay attention to whether call bells are answered promptly and whether staff seem stretched or calm. Until you have a clear answer from the manager about what specifically was rated Requires Improvement and what has been done to address it, hold this as your most important open question.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University rapid evidence review found that agency staff reliance undermines continuity of care and is associated with poorer safety outcomes, particularly for people with dementia who depend on staff knowing their individual patterns of behaviour and distress signals.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the staffing rota for last week, not a template. Count how many named permanent staff worked nights compared with agency staff, and ask what specific action the home has taken to address the Requires Improvement rating in Safe since the October 2023 inspection."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good at the October 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether staff have the right training, whether care plans are detailed and kept up to date, whether people's health needs are met, and whether food meets individual needs. Dementia is a listed specialism at Fir Trees, so inspectors would have considered whether staff training and care planning reflect the specific needs of people living with dementia. A Good rating here indicates inspectors were broadly satisfied. The published summary does not include specific examples of care plan content, dementia training details, or GP access arrangements.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating for Effective is a positive signal, particularly because it covers dementia-specific training and care planning. Our Good Practice evidence base highlights that care plans work best when they are treated as living documents, updated after every significant change in a person's health or behaviour, and when families are actively involved in reviewing them. Food quality sits within this domain, and it features in 20.9% of positive family reviews, making it one of the eight themes families care most about. The inspection findings do not tell us what the food is like at Fir Trees, so this is worth checking on a visit. Ask to see a menu and try to arrive at a mealtime if you can.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that regular, structured GP access and proactive health monitoring are markers of effective care in homes supporting people with complex needs, including dementia and physical disabilities. Homes rated Good in Effective typically demonstrate a system for flagging health changes rather than waiting for crises.","watch_out":"Ask the manager how often your parent's care plan would be reviewed, whether you would be invited to take part, and what dementia training the care staff have completed in the past 12 months, including the name of the training programme and how recently staff were assessed."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the October 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether staff treat people with warmth, dignity, and respect, whether privacy is maintained, and whether people are supported to remain as independent as possible. A Good rating here is a meaningful positive finding for a home of this type, given the range of needs including dementia and physical disabilities. The published summary does not include specific observed examples, resident quotes, or relative feedback recorded during the inspection.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of family satisfaction in our review data, mentioned by name in 57.3% of positive reviews, and compassion and dignity feature in 55.2%. A Good rating for Caring tells you inspectors were satisfied, but the published summary does not give the specific detail that would help you build a picture. When you visit, watch what happens in the corridor and communal areas: do staff greet your parent by name, do they crouch to eye level when speaking to someone seated, and do interactions feel unhurried? Our Good Practice research confirms that non-verbal communication matters as much as verbal communication for people with dementia, and these small observable behaviours are reliable signals of genuine care culture.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that person-led care requires staff to know each individual's history, preferences, and communication style. Homes where staff can name residents' preferred forms of address and describe their personal histories score consistently higher on family satisfaction measures.","watch_out":"On your visit, ask a member of care staff (not the manager) what your parent's preferred name would be used, and watch whether staff introduce themselves before touching or assisting someone. These two things, preferred names and consent before contact, are the most reliable observable indicators of genuine dignity in practice."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Good at the October 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether the home tailors its support to each person's individual needs and preferences, whether activities are meaningful and varied, and whether end-of-life care is planned and person-centred. A Good rating here indicates inspectors were satisfied that Fir Trees responds to individuality rather than offering a one-size approach. The published summary does not describe specific activities, individual engagement examples, or end-of-life care arrangements.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Activities and engagement feature in 21.4% of positive family reviews and resident happiness features in 27.1%. Our Good Practice evidence base makes an important distinction between group activities and individual engagement: group sessions are easier to deliver but people with advanced dementia or limited mobility often cannot participate in them, and the risk is that they spend long periods without meaningful stimulation. A Good rating for Responsive tells you inspectors were broadly satisfied with the activity offer, but it does not tell you whether this extends to one-to-one engagement for people who cannot join a group. This is worth asking about specifically, particularly if your parent's dementia is at a stage where group settings are overwhelming or inaccessible.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review identified Montessori-based approaches and everyday household task involvement as effective methods for engaging people with dementia who are no longer able to participate in formal group activities. Homes that offer only group programmes leave a significant proportion of residents without meaningful engagement for much of the day.","watch_out":"Ask the activities coordinator to describe a typical week for someone who finds group activities difficult. Listen for whether the answer includes specific one-to-one time, what that might look like, and who delivers it, the activities coordinator or care staff on the floor."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good at the October 2023 inspection. This domain covers the quality of leadership, whether the culture is open and learning-focused, and whether governance systems are effective. Fir Trees has a named Registered Manager (Nicole Gunning) and a Nominated Individual (Anna Gretchen Selby) listed with the regulator. The improvement from a previous overall rating of Requires Improvement to Good is a meaningful signal of leadership effectiveness, as sustained improvement typically requires stable management and a functioning quality oversight system. The Safe domain remaining at Requires Improvement indicates there is still work in progress.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time, according to our Good Practice evidence base. The fact that this home has improved from Requires Improvement to Good overall is a positive trajectory indicator, and it suggests the current management team has driven meaningful change. Communication with families features in 11.5% of positive reviews. The remaining Requires Improvement in Safe does mean the leadership team still has an open issue to resolve, and you should ask the manager directly what their plan is and what progress has been made since October 2023. A manager who can answer this question clearly, with specific actions and timescales, is a good sign.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that leadership stability predicts quality trajectory more reliably than any single inspection rating. Homes with consistent registered managers who are visible on the floor and known by name to staff and residents consistently outperform those with frequent management changes, even when their ratings are similar.","watch_out":"Ask the manager how long she has been in post at Fir Trees, what specific changes she made after the previous Requires Improvement rating, and what remains outstanding in the Safe domain. A confident, specific answer is reassuring. A vague or defensive response is a signal to probe further."}

  Verified by inspector

Source: CQC inspection report →

What the evidence base says

Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The home provides residential care for adults under 65 with physical disabilities, as well as older adults including those living with dementia.. Gaps or open questions remain on For residents with dementia, the team focuses on creating a calm environment and taking time to provide emotional reassurance during the transition into care. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.