Clare Lodge Care Home

Updated 24 July 2026

About the service

Clare Lodge Care Home is a 'care home'. Clare Lodge Care Home accommodates up to 24 older people some of whom may live with dementia. On the day of this inspection there were 21 people living at the home.

Who the service is for

Clare Lodge Care Home accommodates up to 24 older people, some of whom may live with dementia.

We carried out this assessment between 29 June 2026 and 7 July 2026. The service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

People were protected from the risk of avoidable harm. The risks to people's safety and wellbeing had been identified, assessed and managed. Accidents and incidents were investigated and information about these was shared with staff to reflect on practice and mitigate any further risk of harm. The provider had appropriate systems for investigating allegations of abuse, complaints and concerns. Medicines were managed safely in line with best practice.

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.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people's needs, recruitment processes were safe, and staff were fully trained and competent.

Safety checks were undertaken regularly, including fire safety and environmental checks. There were suitable systems in place to protect people from the risk of infection and cross-contamination. Staff were aware of these, and the systems had been reviewed and updated appropriately.

The service had effective processes for assessing, planning and reviewing care to ensure people's needs were met. The registered manager was skilled and experienced. They worked well with staff to ensure people's needs were met in a person-centred way. There were appropriate systems for reviewing people's health and working with relevant health and social care professionals.

There was a positive culture at the service and people told us that staff treated them respectfully. The service demonstrated a caring culture where people were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity. Positive and respectful relationships between people and staff were evident, with staff providing support in a patient, compassionate and person-centred way.

People were supported to undertake activities of their choice and told us they enjoyed these. There was an activity plan displayed which reflected the activities undertaken. Staff engaged well with people to find out what they wanted to do. The activities calendar focused on cultural events and activities that people enjoyed doing. Senior staff spent time personalising activities to ensure they met the needs of all people living in the home.

Effective governance systems were in place to monitor quality and safety, with regular audits, action plans and provider oversight arrangements driving improvement. Business continuity plans supported preparedness and a coordinated response to emergencies such as the warm weather.

Feedback indicated people using the service were happy with the care they received. We saw that staff spent time with people, listened to them and met their needs. Relatives we spoke with told us people were well cared for and thought the staff and management team were approachable.

Updated 24 July 2026

We spoke with people and their relatives about their experiences of care during the inspection. We observed the care people received in communal areas and used the Short Observational Framework for We spoke with people and their relatives about their experiences of care during the inspection. We observed the care people received in communal areas and used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. Calls were made to relatives following the inspection to gather their views. People told us they felt safe at the service and shared examples of the support they received from staff. One person told a staff member, “Thank you for your kindness. It is so important to see.”

Relatives told us they could see how people’s health and welfare had improved after they moved into the home. People told us they enjoyed sitting in the garden and participating in activities both within the home and in outdoor spaces. People and their relatives told us there were enough staff to care for people. People gave positive feedback about living at the service. People said they felt happy and safe, and described staff as kind, helpful and responsive. One person told us, “I am happy, I feel safe, staff are kind, this is very important.” Another person said they liked the staff and felt there were enough staff available to help them. People told us when they used their call bell to request assistance, staff came to support them.People looked clean, tidy and well presented, and we saw people wearing individual clothing that reflected their own preferences. Where one person needed reassurance, staff responded promptly and provided this in a calm and supportive way. The registered manager was observed sitting and chatting with people, which helped create a relaxed and familiar atmosphere. People had access to a range of meaningful activities and opportunities for engagement. These included exercise classes delivered by an external visitor, music, dancing, animal visits, church services, games, themed events and celebrations.

People were also supported to maintain interests and community connections, including use of the garden, local trips, minibus outings and access to faith-based activities. The environment supported people’s wellbeing. The garden was well maintained and accessible, with seated raised beds, bird feeders, themed planters and areas of interest. The service also had a community garden approach, encouraging people and visitors to sit and spend time outside. Bedrooms and communal areas were being redecorated and personalised, with new carpets, curtains, soft furnishings and chairs, helping to make the home feel comfortable and homely.

Care was personalised. People had documents such as “Story about me”, which included information about what mattered to them, what they enjoyed, what they wanted to try, how they found comfort and what made them unhappy. This helped staff understand people as individuals and provide person-centred care. For example, faith was identified as important to one person, and staff supported access to enable them to practice their beliefs.