- Care home
Holly Lodge Residential Home Limited
Assessment report published 26 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
We carried out this assessment on 13 October 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remained accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where practice continued to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on areas where the service needed to improve.
Risks to people had been assessed, and staff and managers ensured people received safe care and support. Where people needed equipment to help keep them safe, such as walking frames and call bells, these were available to them.
There were effective systems in place to safeguard people from abuse. Although there had been no recent safeguarding incidents, the registered manager and staff knew what action to take if they suspected abuse. Medicines were stored and administered safely by suitably trained staff.
People were supported by enough staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them safely. Staff were recruited safely. They completed essential and role-specific training, and their competence was assessed to ensure they could carry out their roles safely and effectively, including the safe administration of medicines.
People's needs were assessed before they moved into Holly Lodge. The registered manager told us they wanted to be sure they could meet people's needs and that new people would be compatible with others living at the service. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals. Their health needs were monitored, and appropriate action was taken when needs changed or they became unwell.
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment where there is appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be authorised through the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which form part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how DoLS were managed. We found staff and managers worked within the principles of the MCA. DoLS applications and authorisations were appropriately managed and monitored. People were not subject to unlawful or unnecessary restrictions and had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
The registered manager and nominated individual worked at Holly Lodge for many years and knew people well. They were passionate about helping people live healthy and happy lives. Staff told us they provided clear leadership and support, enabling them to carry out their roles effectively.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Managers and staff were warm and responsive to the needs of people and their relatives.
People were encouraged to be as independent as possible and were involved in decisions about how their care was delivered. One member of staff told us, "There are no set routines. People choose when they want to go to bed. They come and go as they please."
There were systems in place to monitor the quality of care. However, guidance relating to environmental safety had not always been followed. Once informed of the issue, the nominated individual and registered manager took immediate action to implement appropriate measures and ensure compliance with health and safety guidance.
People's experience of this service
Without exception, people and their relatives told us the managers and staff were kind and caring and that they received good care at Holly Lodge. People attended regular residents' meetings where they could contribute to the running of the home, and relatives were regularly invited to complete satisfaction surveys. Comments included, "My relative is living their best life", "The home itself can only be described as a 5-star hotel" and "What a smashing home for my relative."
People we spoke with told us they felt safe. One person said, "I feel safe, day and night. The staff will call the doctor for me if I am unwell." They went on to tell us, "All staff go above and beyond. They are certainly well trained in what they do."
Staff knew people well and treated them as individuals. A relative described how the registered manager involved their family member in tasks around the home because they enjoyed helping and it gave them a sense of purpose and value. We observed people being offered choices about how they spent their day. Some chose to take part in activities, while others preferred to spend time in their rooms. People's rooms were personalised with photographs, pictures and other personal items, helping to create a homely environment. One member of staff told us, "No one here is the same; they all have different needs."
Another relative told us they had chosen Holly Lodge because of its homely, cottage-style atmosphere. They also commented how the home was clean and smelt pleasant. They explained their relative had gained weight since moving to Holly Lodge because they enjoyed the food and were eating well.
All relatives we spoke with told us they were kept informed about their loved one's wellbeing and could visit whenever they wished. One relative told us they felt treated like family by the managers and staff. They said, "Suddenly, I was not an only child."
People told us they could get up and go to bed when they wished. One person said, "I am always the last up. I don't go to bed before 10pm." People also told us they had a regular bath or shower and staff would always support them to have one more often if they wished.
People told us they enjoyed the food. We observed, and people confirmed, they were offered a choice of meals. Three different options were served on the day of the inspection, reflecting people's individual preferences. The food appeared healthy, varied and nutritious.
We observed how Holly Lodge was a warm, welcoming and homely environment. People were treated equally and had the same opportunities regardless of their individual needs. Our observations demonstrated a positive culture of inclusion and respect, where people appeared comfortable, confident and at home.