- Care home
Fitzwilliam Lodge
Assessment report published 29 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Fitzwilliam Lodge is a residential care home providing support to older and younger adults, people with physical disabilities and people with mental health conditions. The service can support up to 16 people. At the time of our assessment, 12 people were living at the service. We carried out a fully comprehensive assessment. At our last inspection the service was rated good. At this assessment the rating changed to outstanding.
People received exceptionally caring and highly personalised support from staff who understood not only their needs, but also their strengths, dreams, relationships and hopes for the future. By focusing on what people wanted from life, staff helped them look beyond their diagnosis to make meaningful choices, pursue their dreams and build purposeful lives. People spoke proudly about what they had achieved and optimistically about what came next.
The service was exceptionally responsive to people's individual circumstances and ambitions. Staff recognised recovery looked different for everyone and adapted support to reflect this. People were encouraged to take positive risks, develop independence and work towards goals that mattered to them. This supported people to achieve outcomes that had a lasting impact on their confidence, wellbeing and quality of life.
Staff knew people extremely well and responded flexibly when their needs or circumstances changed. People described having somewhere they could return to during difficult periods in their lives and staff who would support them to rebuild confidence, maintain progress and continue moving forward. The relationships people developed with staff were often highly valued, with people often choosing to stay in touch after moving on from the service.
People received safe and effective support from a skilled and experienced staff team. Risks were managed safely while promoting independence, medicines were managed appropriately and staff worked proactively with healthcare professionals to ensure people received coordinated care and support. Staff received training and development opportunities which enabled them to provide safe, person-centred care.
There was a strong and positive culture. Staff told us they "love working here" and felt valued, listened to and supported by approachable leaders. Effective governance arrangements, partnership working and continuous learning helped ensure people continued to receive high-quality support that reflected their changing needs, preferences and goals.
People's experience of this service
Without exception, people spoke positively about their experiences living at Fitzwilliam Lodge. One person told us, “Staff listen to me if I raise any concerns and they do something about it." Another said, "I like the staff. How they respect me.”
Relatives shared this same confidence. One relative said, “I can go to work and not worry," because they knew their family member was safe, happy and supported. Another told us, "I think they're doing a great job, and they need to keep doing what they're doing.”
People spoke with pride about having opportunities they never expected to have. They talked about making friends, maintaining important relationships, attending concerts and festivals, becoming more independent and having goals to work towards. Many described doing things they once thought would be impossible.
People spoke openly about periods when their mental health had deteriorated, experiences of bereavement and times when things had not gone as they hoped. They described having somewhere they could return to and staff who would help them rebuild confidence and keep moving forward.
People described having staff around them who believed in them, even when they struggled to believe in themselves. They spoke about being encouraged to try new things, take chances and work towards what they wanted from life. People told us they were supported to make their own choices, follow their own path and move at a pace that worked for them.
People spoke proudly about how far they had come and excitedly about what they still wanted to achieve. They didn't just talk about where they lived or the support they received. They talked about relationships, dreams, independence and the future, and were confident staff would support them to reach their desired goals.
More than anything, people described a place they felt accepted for who they were and supported to become who they wanted to be.