Grasmere Lodge

Updated 4 June 2026

Date of Inspection: 21 July to 20 August 2026. Grasmere Lodge is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 20 people with mental health needs and people who experience addictions. At the time of this inspection, 15 people were living at the service.

At the last inspection, we identified a breach of regulation in relation to the oversight of the service. At this inspection we found improvements had been made to the provider’s general oversight of the service. Concerns relating to fire safety, environmental risks and maintenance issues identified at the last inspection had been addressed and the provider had strengthened arrangements for monitoring safety-related works. They had also revised their governance arrangements, quality assurance processes and performance monitoring systems. At this inspection we found the provider was no longer in breach of regulation.

People told us they felt safe living at the service. Staff understood people's individual risks and worked effectively with healthcare and social care professionals to support their safety and wellbeing. Medicines were managed safely, staffing levels met people's needs, and staff received training, supervision and support to carry out their roles effectively.

People were receiving compassionate, person-centred care from staff who knew them well and had developed strong, trusting relationships. People, relatives and professionals consistently spoke positively about the support they received and described staff as caring, respectful and responsive. People found the staff had helped people achieve meaningful outcomes, including improved health and wellbeing, increased independence, greater community involvement and progress towards personal goals such as volunteering and future employment. Professionals described the service as genuinely person-centred and found staff worked collaboratively with them to support recovery and positive outcomes.

The management team had created a positive and inclusive culture where staff felt valued, supported and able to contribute to service development. Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and described an open culture where concerns could be raised and acted upon. Relatives and professionals were also complimentary about leadership within the service and the positive difference staff made to people's lives. Partnership working was a particular strength, with professionals consistently reporting effective communication and collaborative working arrangements.

We identified shortfalls in relation to assessing needs and consent. Although staff knew people well and care was generally effective, assessment and care planning systems did not always support staff to clearly record and update information when people's needs changed. In addition, decision-specific mental capacity assessments and best interests’ decisions were not always in place for some restrictions, meaning the provider could not always demonstrate that restrictions were lawful and supported by appropriate decision-making processes. We also found that handwritten care records and documentation continued to create challenges in relation to updating, reviewing and sharing information efficiently.

The provider had plans in place to improve assessment documentation, introduce electronic recording systems and strengthen oversight of maintenance and compliance actions. The management team demonstrated a willingness to learn and improve, and there was evidence lessons had been taken from previous concerns to strengthen systems and processes.

Updated 4 June 2026

People were overwhelmingly positive about their experience of living at Grasmere Lodge. People told us they felt safe, valued and well supported by staff who treated them with kindness, dignity and respect. One person said, “You could not ask for better care, the staff are really great.” We observed warm and positive interactions between staff and people using the service. Staff had developed strong, trusting relationships with people and knew them well, enabling them to provide personalised support that reflected people's individual needs, preferences and goals.

People were involved in decisions about their care and support and were encouraged to take control of their lives and work towards greater independence. Staff listened to people, supported them to make choices and helped them identify and achieve goals that were important to them. Relatives and professionals found the service had supported people to make significant progress in their health, wellbeing and independence. A visiting professional said, “From the outset, Grasmere Lodge demonstrated a genuinely person-centred approach. Staff took the time to listen to both the client and the professionals involved, working collaboratively to develop a gradual and structured introduction to the service.”

People were supported to access education, volunteering, community activities and opportunities that helped build confidence and develop skills. Professionals described staff as responsive, compassionate and person-centred. People received support that promoted equality, diversity and inclusion. One professional explained how a person who had previously experienced significant isolation and felt unsafe had grown in confidence, begun to socialise with others and started accessing the local community with support from staff.

Staff considered people's communication needs, cultural backgrounds, beliefs, disabilities and personal preferences when planning care. Information was provided in ways people could understand, and people were supported to access advocacy and participate fully in decisions about their lives.

People and their relatives felt listened to and knew how to raise concerns. The registered manager and staff team were described as approachable and responsive, and relatives told us they were involved in their family member's care and kept informed about important changes. A relative said, “Any concerns regarding [person’s name] wellbeing/health are dealt with promptly by the Home.” Relatives were highly complimentary about the quality of care and support people received. One relative described the improvement in their family member's wellbeing as remarkable and told us they had the highest regard for the staff team.

People were positive about the food provided and staff understood their individual likes, dislikes and nutritional needs. Staff also supported people to access healthcare services when required and acted quickly when concerns about people's health arose. Relatives and professionals consistently told us staff responded promptly and worked effectively with healthcare services to ensure people received the care and treatment they needed.