A CARE home has received a glowing report after an unannounced inspection.

Representatives of the Care Inspectorate visited Hilton Lodge Nursing Home at the end of February and gave top marks for both how it supports people’s wellbeing and how care and support is planned.

The inspection at the care home, on Haddington’s Court Street, saw questionnaires given to relatives, while people living in the home were also asked for their thoughts.

Seven questionnaires were sent out to relatives, with two also spoken to in person.

The Care Inspectorate report states: “We saw that the relatives greatly valued and complimented the quality of care given in the home.

“Relatives told us that they could not fault the staff’s caring approach or the relationships built up with themselves and their relatives.

“One relative told us it was like ‘a home from home’ due to the compassion and warmth they received from staff.

“As part of the inspection, we also spoke with people living in the home who were able to freely give their opinion.

“We found that everyone we spoke with was very happy with the care, activities and the general environment.

“It was clear people were relaxed with the staff team and the interaction between staff and residents showed us that there were excellent relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

“We directly observed the experience and outcomes for people who were unable to tell us their views. We did this during the morning activities. We found interactions between staff and the residents were excellent.”

The report noted residents and families had given suggestions for the care home which had been implemented.

The inspectors also spoke with the chef at the home, which has 20 bedrooms.

“Very clear” records of preferences and dietary requirements were on hand and two residents had spoken to the chef about their likes and dislikes when they moved in.

The report added: “They also told us that they had conversations about the menus and, as a result, had tried new things on the menu that they would not have felt confident trying before. We saw relaxed mealtimes with staff supporting residents to eat at their own pace.”

Inspectors also praised the manager for their “excellent overview” with “a comprehensive quality assurance system” in place, which noted people’s preferences, choices and care needs.