Hunters Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred 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 had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.
The home had a clear and shared sense of direction, supported by strong values which were understood and demonstrated by staff at all levels. Aims outlined in the statement of purpose included, “Our ambition is to co-create vibrant, inclusive communities where individuality is celebrated and people are empowered to be the best versions of themselves”.
Managers were visible, approachable and promoted a positive, inclusive culture where people, families and staff felt listened to and respected.
The values are also outlined as follows Empowering, Together, Honesty, Outstanding Supportive.
Staff worked together with a shared purpose, and feedback was actively used to shape the ongoing development of the service. This created a cohesive, open and supportive environment which benefited both people and staff.
One person told us, “I am always asked what activities I’d like to do and when I want to do them”.
One relative told us, “We talk regularly, the manager phones me and we have group conversation with the keyworker and [person’s name]. Communication is great, the manager will call me if there are any issues”.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.
People we spoke to as part of the assessment knew who the manager was. One person told us, “Yes, the management team are approachable”. Another person told us, “Yes, the manager is nice and it’s a happy place”.
Staff spoke positively about the management team and described how they had been supported with personal challenges outside of work. This reflected a compassionate leadership approach and demonstrated managers cared about staff wellbeing beyond their day‑to‑day roles.
Senior leaders from the provider organisation, were present during our assessment and visited the home regularly and offered ongoing support and supervision to the management team. The regional director had previously worked within the service, and it was evident they had established positive relationships with the people living there.
The manager had also won the award “Care Home Registered Manager” at the Great British Care Awards in 2025. They were given the award for, “[Managers name] is a true advocate and ambassador for all the people they are involved with. Not only do they support their residents with innovative approaches, but they also support their team and the wider community. It was a pleasure to hear about their great work”.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
The management team operated an open‑door approach, enabling people, staff, and families to raise concerns or offer suggestions at any time. Policies and procedures were in place to support staff to speak up and raise concerns. Information on how to do this was clearly displayed within the service. Staff told us they knew how to report concerns and felt confident they would be listened to and the management team would take appropriate action.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.
The service had an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policy in place to support fair and equitable recruitment and selection processes.
Staff had completed training in equality and diversity, helping them understand their responsibilities in promoting an inclusive and respectful working environment.
Reasonable adjustments were made where needed to support staff with specific needs, helping ensure everyone could carry out their role effectively. One staff member told us, “The manager is really supportive and supports me with flexibility with shifts”. This inclusive approach contributed to a positive workplace culture and supported staff wellbeing, which in turn benefitted the quality of care provided to people.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.
The provider maintained a centralised action plan which brought together learning from all audits completed. Audits completed included care plans, medication, health and safety and infection prevention control. This was routinely reviewed and shared with leaders, ensuring clear oversight, accountability and effective governance across the service.
Contingency plans were in place for a range of emergency scenarios. These were routinely reviewed to ensure they remained effective, supporting the service when needed, long‑term sustainability and ability to maintain safe, effective care.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.
The home worked collaboratively with a wide range of external partners including GP’s, psychiatrists, learning disabilities teams, community nursing teams and social workers, to ensure people received well‑coordinated and seamless support.
Staff fostered strong relationships with families, valuing them as partners in care and encouraging regular feedback. One relative told us, “Communication is good, I don’t think I’d get any better elsewhere”.
The service maintained strong and meaningful links with the local community, supporting people to stay socially engaged and reducing the risk of isolation. The manager described an occasion when people living in the home felt unwelcome at a local place of worship. In response, the manager took proactive steps to engage with the organisation involved and other community contacts to address concerns and rebuild relationships. This ensured people were able to participate fully in the event and they felt included and remained connected to their community.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.
The service fostered a culture of continuous learning, where staff were encouraged to reflect on practice and contribute ideas for improvement. Debriefs were completed after all events in the home, this took place with people and staff. Staff were encouraged to discuss what went well and what could be improved, and they described feeling confident to raise ideas or concerns with the management team. Managers used audit findings, incident reviews and feedback from people to ensure care records were up to date and relevant, ensuring improvements were evidence‑based and sustained.