- Independent mental health service
Highams Lodge
Assessment report published 14 August 2026
Contents
Ratings - Community-based mental health services for adults of working age
Our view of the service
We carried out an assessment of Highams Lodge on 11 and 12 March in response to routine monitoring. We spoke with 7 people using the service and 7 staff members, including the registered manager. We reviewed 8 care and treatment records. The assessment considered how well the service was providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care in line with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Single Assessment Framework.
Highams Lodge is a residential recovery community providing high-support accommodation for adults with complex and enduring mental health needs, including trauma and dual diagnosis, within a psychologically informed therapeutic model.
As a result of this inspection, our ratings changed. The rating for Safe has changed from good to requires improvement. The rating for Effective has remained good. The rating for Caring has remained good. The rating for Responsive has changed from good to requires improvement. The rating for Well-led has changed from good to requires improvement. Overall, the rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement.
Systems intended to support safe care did not operate reliably. Risk information was not always up to date or easily accessible, which meant staff relied on verbal handovers and records did not always provide clear or current information about risks. Safeguarding systems did not consistently support oversight or tracking of actions. Environmental safety controls, including those relating to fire safety, smoking behaviours and evacuation planning, did not effectively manage risks. Medicines management systems did not provide effective oversight, with gaps in monitoring, recording and escalation of concerns.
These issues constituted a breach of Regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment).
Governance systems were in place, including management reporting and oversight processes. However, these did not clearly demonstrate that information was reviewed, acted on or followed through. Records were incomplete or inconsistent, incidents were not always fully recorded or reviewed, and leaders could not demonstrate reliably that risks were tracked or that learning led to improvement.
These issues constituted a breach of Regulation 17 (Good governance).
However, the service had a structured therapeutic model, staff supervision and training, and systems intended to support admissions, escalation and joint working with external services. Leaders were visible, and people and staff described a caring environment with predictable support in day-to-day interactions.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns identified at this assessment.
People's experience of this service
People described staff as caring, supportive and available when needed, and said they felt safe most of the time. They valued the therapeutic environment, activities and opportunities to develop independence, including access to the community and support from staff when they felt overwhelmed or needed emotional support.
People said staff responded when they needed support, including during emotional distress and with physical health needs. Some people told us therapy had helped them manage their experiences and improve their wellbeing.
However, experiences were not the same for everyone. Access to therapy and group activities varied, and attendance for some groups was low. Not all people had clear information about their future or how they would progress.
People could raise concerns through meetings and day-to-day conversations with staff, but records did not consistently show how these were acted on or followed through. Most people were not aware of independent advocacy or how to access it, which limited access to independent support.