Bowden Lodge

Updated 22 October 2025

Date of Assessment: 28 October to 7 November 2025. The service is a care home providing personal care to people with mental health conditions. The service can support up to 16 people. At the time of our assessment 12 people were using the service and 2 people were transitioning to move in permanently.

At our last assessment, the service was rated good. At this assessment, the service remains good overall and rated outstanding in well led.

We carried out an assessment looking at all quality statements to be able to provide an overall rating as this was the services first assessment under our new single assessment framework. Our decision to inspect the service was due to the age of the rating.

The management team consisted of excellent leaders, who were passionate and motivated and mentored a strong staff team. The team had the skills to deliver support that was creative achieving extremely positive outcomes for people. People were protected and kept safe. There were enough staff who received regular training and support to maintain excellent quality care. Staff managed medicines safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. People’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was delivered in line with people's needs. Care delivery was person centred. Care plans were regularly reviewed, and people were referred to local healthcare services as required. Staff followed clinical guidance for people’s care and support. Health care professionals were extremely positive about the care and support delivered by the staff team. The service had an exceptional learning culture to drive improvements and share good practice. People could raise concerns and had the freedom to speak up, at several different forums.

Updated 22 October 2025

People and their relatives spoke overwhelmingly positive about the quality of their care and support they received. They felt safe and were fully involved in planning their care and understood their rights. One person said, “They [staff] understand me. They know what I like best and what I don’t like.” Another person said, “They’re like my friends, the staff.” A relative said, “We [family] know they are getting properly looked after. They always have [name’s] best interests at heart.”

People experienced positive outcomes. Staff worked with people to understand and manage risks. Staff were very knowledgeable and provided care and support to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive, and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. The care plans reflected people’s current needs and risks. People received care that was person-centred. We observed staff interact with people appropriately and they respected their choices and supported them to make decisions. Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. This meant people’s care was tailored in response to this. People’s social, mental wellbeing and recreational needs were being met. People accessed activities and hobbies in the community and were supported to continue these.