Hunters Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.
We spoke to relatives and one relative told us, “They treat (family member) kindly and with understanding. Never heard anyone raise voice or say anything unkind”. Another relative told us, “They treat (family member) with dignity and respect and they are always courteous”.
We observed interactions between staff and people living in the home which were consistently warm, respectful and person‑centred, demonstrating staff showed genuine care and compassion in their approach and people seemed happy with their support. All people we spoke to told us that all staff were caring and kind.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.
Staff had a good understanding of people’s likes, dislikes and personal preferences. During both of our onsite visits, people were being supported to take part in activities within the community, and they expressed they were happy to be doing so. This reflected an approach which recognised and responded to each person’s individual interests and choices.
One person told us, in regards to staff knowing their likes and dislikes, “Yes, staff know me well”.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.
The care plans we reviewed clearly outlined what people could do independently and where they required staff support. One person had expressed a wish to increase their independence when accessing the community, including travelling by bus and visiting a local gym. Staff worked with them to develop a detailed plan with the aim of achieving greater independence. The person told us, “I am happy I can go offsite independently”, reflecting the positive impact of this approach.
As part of our assessment, we observed people being offered meaningful choices about their meals, including options for breakfast and lunch. To help people make informed decisions, staff provided information in accessible formats such as photos and easy‑read materials. People were also supported to direct their own daily routines, choosing when to get up, when to go to bed, and how they wished to structure their day, promoting independence and personal control.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.
The service demonstrated it listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Throughout the assessment, staff were visible, attentive and responsive, taking prompt action when people required support. People’s care plans clearly outlined their preferences, choices and wellbeing needs, and these were reviewed regularly to ensure staff consistently held up‑to‑date information to guide immediate and effective support.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
Staff we spoke to as part of the assessment, spoke positively of the manager.
One staff member told us, “I love my job, and love coming to work every day. [Managers name] is really supportive and supports not just me, but the whole team. All management are supportive and there is a real family vibe within the home”.
Another staff member told us, “Amazing support from the manager. They are always on the ball, and I can’t give them enough credit. They are a lovely person, and I would go to the manager for anything”.
The manager described a range of additional support available to staff, including access to a staff initiatives programme offering employee discounts, health‑related services and enhanced wellbeing benefits. These measures helped promote staff wellbeing and supported a positive working environment. The home also supported staff wellbeing by offering transport to and from work, recognising its remote location could make recruitment and travel challenging. This proactive initiative helped staff feel valued and enabled them to attend shifts reliably and with reduced stress.
Throughout our assessment, we observed the management team being proactive and visible, supporting both staff and people with day‑to‑day tasks.