- Care home
Hunters Lodge
Assessment report published 11 May 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 14 15 April 2026
Hunters Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 10 people The service supports people under the age of 65 who may have learning disabilities or a mental health condition.
An unannounced assessment took place to review the quality of care. At the time of the assessment the service supported 10people, all 10 people were in receipt of a regulated activity. We assessed the service against Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture to determine whether people with a learning disability and autistic people were supported in ways that promoted dignity, equality, choice, independence and access to their community.
We carried out an unannounced visit on the 14 April 2026 and announced on the 15 April 2026. During the assessment we reviewed care records, spoke with people, staff, relatives and leaders. We assessed the home against all quality statements.
At this assessment the overall rating for Hunters Lodge is Good. This is based upon the findings at this assessment.
Staff told us they felt people living in the home felt happy and safe. Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of the individuals living in the service. During observations, interactions between staff and people were positive and respectful, with staff consistently supporting personal preferences in accordance with each person’s care plan.
Each person, where appropriate, had detailed mental capacity assessments and best‑interests documentation in place. Where individuals were assessed as lacking capacity for a particular decision, best‑interests processes were completed, demonstrating involvement with relevant professionals and those important to the person, and ensuring decisions were made in the least restrictive way.
People living in the home used a range of communication methods, including verbal communication, objects of reference and Makaton. Makaton is a language programme that combines signs, symbols and speech to give different options for people to communicate.
Staff adapted their approach effectively to meet each person’s preferred method and demonstrated a strong understanding of individuals’ communication needs.
The home had robust systems in place to ensure medicines were managed safely and that people received their medication in line with prescribed guidance. The service also maintained a positive working relationship with the local GP, who visited regularly to review people’s health needs and discuss their medication with them.
People's experience of this service
We gained feedback from 5 people living at the service and 3 relatives. People and their relatives were positive in their feedback about the home.
Using people’s preferred method of communication, people told us they felt ‘safe’ and ‘happy’ living within the home. One person told us, “Yes, I do (like living here) and I like my room”.
One relative told us, “Yes, they like living there, been there for some years and it is the best place ever for the care they get. They like their room, and they can choose new furniture, and they have a nice shower room”.
As part of the assessment, we also used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI), a structured tool that enables us to observe care and understand the experiences of people who were unable to communicate with us directly. As part of these observations, we saw positive interactions between staff and people.