The Palms

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 1 September 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Our view of the service

About the service

The Palms is a care home providing support for up to 7 people. There were 6 people using the service at the time of the inspection. The service supports adults with learning difficulties.

Who the service is for

This is a specialist service for people with a physical disability, learning disability and autistic people. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgments about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 13 July 2026. This service was previously rated Good. We undertook this assessment to confirm whether the rating remained appropriate. This report focuses on areas where improvement was required or where notable practice was identified.

The service demonstrated a positive culture of learning, openness, and continuous improvement. Staff used handovers, supervision, and team meetings to share information, reflect on practice, and support positive outcomes for people. Staff spoke positively about the culture within the service. One staff member told us, "Really good (culture), it's one of the best places I have worked. Staff are caring and communicate well with each other about people's needs."

People were supported by staff who understood their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, risk management, and medicines management. Staff had received appropriate training and were knowledgeable about recognising and responding to concerns. Risks were assessed and managed in a positive way, enabling people to remain as independent as possible while maintaining their safety.

There were sufficient staff available to meet people's needs, and safe recruitment processes were in place. People lived in a clean and well-maintained environment, with staff commenting that, "The registered manager is very keen on making sure if things need doing, they get done quickly." Medicines were managed safely by trained and competent staff.

People's needs were regularly assessed and reviewed to ensure support remained responsive and person-centred. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of individual needs and worked effectively with relatives, healthcare professionals, and other agencies to promote positive outcomes and timely access to support.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.

A caring and inclusive culture was evident throughout the service. Staff spoke warmly about the people they supported and were committed to promoting confidence, independence, and wellbeing. People were encouraged to participate in everyday tasks and activities that reflected their interests and aspirations.