Enter and view: The Anchorage Care Home

Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire carried out an Enter and View visit to The Anchorage Care Home in Grimsby to gather the views of residents and staff and observe the quality of care being provided. The home is a 42-bed residential, dementia and respite care facility operated by Lotus Care Anchorage Ltd, following a change of provider in August 2025. At the time of the visit, 37 residents were living at the home. 

Overall, Healthwatch found The Anchorage to be a comfortable, clean and person-centred care home with a calm and welcoming atmosphere. Residents appeared relaxed and content, and staff were observed to be caring, respectful and responsive to people's needs. No health and safety or safeguarding concerns were identified during the visit. 

The manager reported that the home has a stable workforce, with many staff having worked there for a number of years. Staff described management as approachable, supportive and responsive to concerns. The home operates a "tools down" approach, meaning staff work together flexibly to cover absences and ensure residents continue to receive good care. 

Healthwatch found that care planning and governance systems were well established. Care plans are reviewed regularly and updated whenever residents' needs change. Medication stocks are checked daily, and staff receive a combination of induction, mandatory and specialist training. The home had recently achieved excellent results in infection prevention and tissue viability inspections. 

Residents' health and wellbeing are supported through regular access to healthcare professionals, including GPs, district nurses, dentists, podiatrists, pharmacists, continence specialists, falls teams and mental health services. Families are free to visit, and the home encourages contact through telephone calls, meetings and surveys. Advocacy services are also used where residents have no family members to support them.

Although only three residents were able to participate in interviews due to the high number of residents living with cognitive impairment, feedback was positive. Residents said they felt safe, well cared for and comfortable living at the home. They praised the staff, described the environment as pleasant and said they enjoyed having choices about how they spent their time. Most residents were positive about the food, although one resident commented that it was not as good as meals at home. 

Staff spoke positively about working at The Anchorage and highlighted the importance of relationships with residents. They said they enjoyed supporting residents and seeing them happy. While most staff expressed satisfaction with their roles and management, some commented that additional staffing, higher pay and easier access to healthcare professionals, particularly GP visits, would be beneficial.

Healthwatch observed residents being supported to maintain control over their daily lives. Residents were able to choose when to get up, go to bed, spend time in communal areas or return to their rooms. Bedrooms were personalised with residents' own belongings, and staff were attentive in helping people remain comfortable and reassured.

The physical environment was found to be clean, well maintained and dementia friendly in many respects, with contrasting colours used on walls and handrails to aid navigation. Residents were observed wearing clean and appropriate clothing, and the home was free from unpleasant odours. Dining areas were sociable, and residents could choose from different meal options or request alternatives. The home also took care to make soft and puréed meals visually appealing. 

A range of activities was available to support social engagement and wellbeing. During the visit, Healthwatch observed a craft session, and residents reported that there was always something to do. Other activities included reminiscence sessions, visits from singers, robotic animals and visits from local school children. Staff members occasionally brought pets into the home, which residents appeared to enjoy greatly.

Healthwatch highlighted several areas of good practice, including caring and respectful staff interactions, prompt responses to residents' needs, meaningful activities, strong staff retention and supportive management. The only recommendation made was that the home consider reintroducing dementia clocks and additional dementia-friendly signage in communal areas to further support residents living with dementia. 

The manager welcomed the recommendation, confirmed that dementia clocks and signage had been used previously and stated that efforts would be made to source them again. The manager also expressed satisfaction that the report accurately reflected the home's day-to-day operation and commitment to providing high-quality care.