Tranent Care Home rated as 'good' in all areas in inspection

Tranent Care Home, located on Coal Neuk Court and operated by HC-One Limited, was rated ‘good’ across all areas by the Care Inspectorate following an unannounced visit last month.

The facility provides care for up to 60 older adults, with 57 residents living there at the time of the inspection.

Inspectors commended the home for its compassionate environment and the positive impact of its care delivery.

The Care Inspectorate report stated: "Positive and caring interactions were observed between staff and supported people, helping to create a warm atmosphere.

"Building on these strengths through more consistent person-centred practice will further enhance outcomes."

Staff were described by residents as caring, kind and attentive, and inspectors noted that care was delivered at a pace that respected individual needs and preferences.

However, the report also identified areas for improvement, including delays in mealtime service and inconsistent record-keeping.

Some residents were left waiting in the dining room for close to an hour before being served, which inspectors said caused frustration and detracted from the dining experience.

The report stated: "A greater focus on individual preferences and respectful support will improve people's experiences."

While the home was praised for its proactive approach to falls prevention and its collaboration with external health professionals, inspectors found gaps in documentation related to pain assessments, repositioning charts and weight monitoring.

The report said: "More robust oversight and timely completion of records would have supported more effective monitoring, enabled emerging concerns to be identified sooner, and further strengthened health and wellbeing outcomes for people."

The Care Inspectorate also recommended expanding the activities programme to better reflect residents’ interests and preferences.

Although group and one-to-one activities were offered, inspectors observed limited engagement during their visit, with some residents spending long periods in communal areas without interaction.

A relative told inspectors: "The lack of activities does concern me, but aware [management] are recruiting for more activity staff."

The report suggested that findings from a recent resident survey could be used to further develop the activities programme to reduce social isolation and promote wellbeing.

The home’s leadership and staff team were also rated as ‘good’, with inspectors noting the manager’s self-evaluation and action planning as positive steps.

However, they recommended increasing the frequency of practice observations and spot checks to improve oversight and support staff development.

The report stated: "Enhanced monitoring will support the delivery of safe, responsive and person-centred care that consistently meets people's needs and promotes positive outcomes."

Staffing arrangements were also highlighted as an area for review, with a recommendation to ensure that dependency assessments consider both direct care and non-direct responsibilities such as training, supervision and quality assurance activities.

The report said: "Ensuring sufficient capacity for these essential functions would support more effective oversight of care, strengthened staff development, and promoted greater consistency in the quality of support people received."

No complaints had been upheld against the service since the previous inspection.

In a summary of its findings, the Care Inspectorate rated the home as ‘good’ in supporting residents’ wellbeing, leadership and staff team performance.

It also awarded ‘good’ ratings in specific areas including compassion, dignity and respect, quality of life and health outcomes.

The report concluded: "While strengths had a significant positive impact, improvements are needed to ensure that people consistently have experiences and outcomes which are as positive as possible."

The full inspection report is available on the Care Inspectorate website.