Hillbrow Residential Care Home Limited

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 16 April 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

The assessment was carried out between 13 and 27 February 2026. We undertook 2 visits to the service on 13 and 20 February 2026. Hillbrow is a care home, providing accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 24 people who may have a physical condition or are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 23 people living at the service.

People told us they felt safe, respected and well cared for, and we observed a warm, consistent culture where staff supported people with kindness and patience. Comments included, “Oh yes I am very comfortable...I have everything that I need", and “This is a happy place, the staff are very good”.

People described staff as gentle, skilled and attentive, and relatives expressed confidence in the team’s ability to keep people safe and maintain their wellbeing.

Leaders promoted a learning culture and staff reflected openly on safety, using incident reviews and multidisciplinary input to improve care. People experienced safe and effective care, with timely assessment, personalised risk management and prompt responses when health needs changed.

Medicines were managed safely; any identified issues were promptly addressed to mitigate risk and share lessons learned. Staff worked well with external professionals and followed any guidance or recommendations, including for modified diets and mobility needs.

The environment was clean and comfortable, although missed fire safety checks showed gaps in oversight; leaders had already taken action to strengthen monitoring.

Staffing levels met people’s needs, and although some people experienced occasional waits at busy times, call bell audits showed typical responses between 4 and 7 minutes with staffing added at peak periods.

Staff worked well with external professionals and communication across the team was consistent and reliable. People had meaningful opportunities to stay active and maintain independence, and activities were personalised and inclusive. Information was accessible, and people and relatives said staff listened to them, acted on concerns and involved them in decisions about care and future planning.

Leadership was visible, compassionate and inclusive, and people consistently described the home as “a happy place” where they felt safe and supported. Governance systems were effective, and where shortfalls were identified, such as in fire checks, leaders responded promptly and constructively. Overall, Hillbrow fostered a caring, person‑centred culture with strong teamwork, reliable clinical oversight and a commitment to continuous improvement.