Saint Cecilia's Nursing Home

What families say

Families talk about feeling genuinely included in daily life here. They describe staff who take time to understand each person's needs and preferences, creating moments of connection through organised activities.

Based on 9 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth72
• Compassion & dignity72
• Cleanliness70
• Activities & engagement65
• Food quality60
• Healthcare68
• Management & leadership75
• Resident happiness70

What inspectors found

Inspected 2021-10-20 · Report published 2021-10-20 · Inspected 4 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the September 2021 inspection, an improvement from the previous Requires Improvement rating. This domain covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, and the prevention of harm. The published summary does not record specific observations about night staffing numbers, agency staff usage, or falls management processes. No concerns or breaches in this area are noted. The improvement from the previous rating suggests the home addressed whatever safety issues had been identified.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating in Safe is a meaningful baseline, but the Good Practice evidence base consistently shows that safety is most fragile after 8pm, when staffing is thinnest. Our family review data identifies staff attentiveness as a driver of confidence for roughly 14% of positive reviewers, and that attentiveness depends heavily on having enough permanent staff on duty. Because the published report gives no staffing numbers, you cannot verify this from the inspection alone. The improvement from Requires Improvement is genuinely encouraging, but ask for specifics before deciding.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University rapid evidence review found that night staffing ratios are among the strongest predictors of avoidable harm in care homes. Homes that are Good by day can still have thin cover overnight, and the inspection may not have captured that detail.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota for a recent week, covering day and night shifts. Count the permanent names versus agency names, particularly on the overnight shifts for all 44 beds."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good, covering training, care plans, healthcare access, and food. Dementia is listed as a registered specialism, which implies some level of dementia-specific practice. The published summary does not describe the content or frequency of staff training, the detail of care plans, how often GPs visit, or what mealtimes look like. No shortfalls in this area are noted. As with Safe, the move from Requires Improvement means the home previously fell short of Good in this domain and has since made changes.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Dementia-specific training is one of the most important things you can probe when visiting. Our Good Practice evidence base, drawing on 61 studies, found that dementia training quality varies enormously between homes: some staff receive a half-day online course and some receive sustained, supervised learning. The Effective rating tells you inspectors were satisfied, but not what the training actually covered. Food quality is rated by roughly 20.9% of positive family reviewers as a key signal of genuine care. Ask to see a sample menu and, if possible, visit at a mealtime to see how staff support residents who need help eating.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that care plans function as living documents in higher-performing homes, reviewed with families at least quarterly and updated after any change in condition. Static care plans, filed and rarely revisited, are a warning sign.","watch_out":"Ask to see a sample care plan (anonymised if needed) and ask how recently it was reviewed and whether the resident's family was involved in that review. Also ask what dementia training staff complete and how often it is refreshed."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good, covering staff warmth, dignity, respect, and how staff support independence. No specific inspector observations, resident quotes, or relative testimony are reproduced in the published summary for this domain. The Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with what they saw, but the absence of specific evidence means it is not possible to confirm from the published report alone how this looks day to day. No concerns about dignity or respect are recorded.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of positive family reviews in our data: 57.3% of families who leave positive reviews mention warm and friendly staff by name. Compassion and dignity follow closely at 55.2%. These are not abstract qualities. They show up in specific observable behaviours: does a carer knock before entering a room, use your parent's preferred name rather than a generic term, and sit at eye level rather than standing over them? A Good rating in Caring is a promising sign, but because the report contains no specific examples, you need to observe these interactions yourself on a visit.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base highlights that non-verbal communication matters as much as verbal when caring for people with advanced dementia. Staff who move slowly, make eye contact, and respond to body language rather than just words create measurably better outcomes for distressed residents.","watch_out":"When you visit, watch how staff greet residents in a corridor or common area. Are they moving at the resident's pace, using names, and making eye contact? Ask the manager what name your parent would be called and how that preference would be recorded and communicated to all staff, including agency workers."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Good, covering activities, individual engagement, and how well the home responds to each person's preferences and needs. The published summary does not describe specific activities offered, how activity programmes are tailored to individuals with dementia or physical disabilities, or what is available for residents who cannot join group sessions. No concerns in this domain are noted. The home supports several specialisms including dementia and physical disabilities, which implies a need for varied and adapted approaches to engagement.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Activities matter more than many families initially expect. Our review data shows that resident happiness is a theme in 27.1% of positive reviews, and Good Practice evidence consistently links meaningful activity with reduced agitation, better sleep, and slower functional decline in people with dementia. A Good rating in Responsive is encouraging, but group activities alone are not sufficient for everyone. If your parent has advanced dementia or limited mobility, ask specifically what would be offered to them on a day when they cannot join a group session. Everyday tasks, like folding towels, watering plants, or sorting objects, can be as valuable as structured activities.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett review found that Montessori-based and task-based individual engagement approaches show strong evidence for improving wellbeing in people with dementia, particularly those who are no longer able to participate in group activities.","watch_out":"Ask to see the activities planner for the past two weeks, not just the upcoming schedule. Then ask what happened yesterday for a resident with advanced dementia who could not join a group session. If the answer is vague, probe further."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good, with a named registered manager and nominated individual confirmed in post. The improvement from Requires Improvement to Good across all domains is the clearest evidence of leadership effectiveness available in this report. The published summary does not describe how the manager is visible on the floor, how staff are supported to raise concerns, or how the home gathers feedback from families and residents. No governance concerns are noted.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of quality in our Good Practice evidence base. A manager who has been in post long enough to drive a turnaround from Requires Improvement to Good is a meaningful positive signal. Our family review data shows management and leadership feature in 23.4% of positive reviews, often described in terms of whether families feel listened to when they raise a concern. The key question for you is how long the current manager has been in post and whether the improvements are embedded or still fragile. Communication with families is a theme for 11.5% of positive reviewers: ask specifically how the home would contact you if your parent had a fall or a change in health overnight.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of sustained quality improvement. Homes where the manager changed frequently showed higher rates of regression after inspection.","watch_out":"Ask the manager directly: how long have you been in this role, and what was the main change you made after the previous inspection? A confident, specific answer suggests embedded improvement. A vague answer is a reason to ask more questions before deciding."}

  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 specialist support for people with sensory impairments, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. They also care for people living with dementia, with staff trained to provide the understanding and patience needed.. Gaps or open questions remain on For residents with dementia, the team works to maintain familiar routines and create calm, reassuring environments. They understand how important it is to preserve dignity while providing the specialist care each person needs. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.