Care Quality Commission report: Highbury House Nursing Home, July 2025
Highbury House Nursing Home
The overall rating was: 'Good'.
Highbury House Nursing Home provides accommodation with nursing care for older people with nursing needs and some who were living with dementia. The Care Quality Commission's (CQC) assessment was prompted by the length of time since the last inspection, and the previous rating of the service.
The provider was previously in breach of legal regulations around medicines recording, infection prevention and control (IPC), assessments of environmental risk, accurate recording in people’s care plan, staff following professional guidance, staff training and supervision and good governance. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of the regulations. People received good care that met their needs and protected their rights.
The CQC noted that the provider had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. People were protected and kept safe, and staff understood and managed risks. The facilities and equipment met people’s needs. There were enough staff with the right skills and experience, and Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care.
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Staff involved those important to people in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff responded to people in a timely way and the provider supported staff wellbeing.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally. The provider worked with the local community and there was a culture of continuous improvement.
People's experience of this service
People were positive about the quality of their care. They reported feeling safe and that they were involved in planning their care and understood their rights. People said they received high-quality care from knowledgeable staff who treated them as individuals. They also described how staff treated them kindly and made sure any personal care was done sensitively, preserving their privacy and dignity.
One person told the CQC: “I was worried about coming here, but not anymore. I’m happy here.”
A relative added: “The staff are lovely and are like another family. They are kind to [my relative], they know him and have bonded with him. They really are exceptional.”
Some people could not directly share their experience with the CQC. They instead used a structured observation tool to assess whether they received good care. This approach showed people were included and listened to, and that staff consistently interacted positively with them. People felt able to complain and were confident that, if they did, action would be taken and improvements would be made.