Ashmere Court Carehomes

What families say

Based on 2 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth25
• Compassion & dignity25
• Cleanliness30
• Activities & engagement25
• Food quality25
• Healthcare25
• Management & leadership25
• Resident happiness25

What inspectors found

Inspected 2023-10-12 · Report published 2023-10-12 · Inspected 2 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Not yet rated

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Requires Improvement at the November 2025 inspection. This means inspectors found that people at Sutton Lodge were not consistently protected from avoidable harm, or that the systems designed to keep them safe were not working reliably. The home supports people living with dementia and physical disabilities, groups who are particularly vulnerable to safety lapses. The full detail of what was found is not available in the report text provided, but a Requires Improvement rating in Safety is a serious finding that warrants close scrutiny.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Requires Improvement rating in Safety means the inspection found gaps in how the home keeps your mum or dad protected from harm u2014 this could relate to medicines management, fall prevention, infection control, staffing levels, or how incidents are recorded and learned from. For families of people with dementia, safety at night is especially important: Good Practice research consistently shows this is when risks are highest and when staffing can be at its thinnest. Our family review data shows that 14% of positive reviews explicitly mention staff attentiveness as a key reassurance u2014 the absence of strong safety evidence here is a gap you should press the home to address. Ask directly whether staffing levels have changed since the inspection and what the minimum number of staff on duty overnight is.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that night staffing levels are disproportionately associated with safety incidents, and that reliance on agency staff undermines the consistency of care that people with dementia need to remain safe and settled.","watch_out":"Ask the manager: 'How many permanent, named staff are on duty on the dementia unit after 8pm, and what proportion of night shifts in the last month were covered by agency workers?'"}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Not yet rated

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Requires Improvement at the November 2025 inspection. This domain covers whether staff have the right training and skills, whether care plans are meaningful and up to date, whether people's health needs are properly monitored, and whether food and nutrition are given proper attention. A Requires Improvement rating here suggests one or more of these areas was not meeting the expected standard. The home lists dementia as a specialism, which makes effective, skilled care particularly important for the people living there.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"For your parent living with dementia, effective care means staff who genuinely understand the condition u2014 not just completing tasks, but recognising how dementia changes communication, behaviour, and physical health needs. Our family review data shows that 20.2% of positive reviews mention healthcare and 12.7% mention dementia-specific care as key factors. A Requires Improvement in this domain raises questions about whether care plans are genuinely personalised, whether GP and specialist access is timely, and whether staff training is keeping pace with residents' needs. Ask to see evidence of recent dementia training and how frequently your parent's care plan would be reviewed and updated.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base identifies care plans as 'living documents' that should be reviewed regularly with family involvement u2014 static or generic care plans are a significant marker of poor dementia care quality.","watch_out":"Ask to see a sample care plan format and ask: 'How often is my parent's care plan reviewed, and how would I be involved in that process?'"}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Not yet rated

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Requires Improvement at the November 2025 inspection. This is the domain that most directly reflects how staff treat the people in their care u2014 whether they are kind, whether they protect dignity and privacy, whether they treat people as individuals. A Requires Improvement rating here is particularly concerning because it suggests inspectors found that warmth, respect, or dignity was not consistently present. This domain is the highest-weighted area in our family review data, with 57.3% of positive reviews mentioning staff warmth.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Families tell us, again and again, that how staff treat their parent matters more than almost anything else. When 57.3% of the most positive care home reviews mention staff warmth and 55.2% mention compassion and dignity, a Requires Improvement in Caring is the finding most likely to give families pause. It does not necessarily mean all staff are unkind u2014 but it does mean inspectors found enough inconsistency to be concerned. For someone with dementia who may not be able to tell you if they feel disrespected or rushed, this is especially important to investigate. Observe how staff speak to and about residents during your visit u2014 do they use preferred names, do they knock before entering rooms, do they sit at eye level?","evidence_base":"Good Practice research identifies non-verbal communication as equally important as verbal interaction in dementia care u2014 the pace at which staff move, whether they make eye contact, and whether they narrate care tasks are all indicators of genuine person-centred practice.","watch_out":"During your visit, watch a mealtime or a routine interaction: do staff use your parent's preferred name unprompted, and do they appear unhurried and attentive, or task-focused and rushed?"}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Not yet rated

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Requires Improvement at the November 2025 inspection. This domain covers whether the home tailors its care to individual needs and preferences, whether activities are meaningful and accessible, how complaints are handled, and whether end-of-life care is planned and compassionate. A Requires Improvement rating here suggests the home was not consistently meeting individuals' needs or providing meaningful engagement. For people with dementia, responsiveness u2014 being treated as an individual, not just a diagnosis u2014 is fundamental to quality of life.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Our family review data shows 27.1% of positive reviews mention resident happiness and 21.4% mention activities u2014 these are not luxuries, they are central to your parent's wellbeing. For someone living with dementia, meaningful activity reduces distress, maintains skills for longer, and supports a sense of identity. A Requires Improvement in Responsive suggests the home may not be reliably delivering this. Good Practice evidence highlights that one-to-one activities for people who cannot participate in group sessions are a key marker of quality u2014 ask specifically how the home supports your parent as their condition changes and group participation becomes harder.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research evidence review found that Montessori-based approaches and everyday household task engagement u2014 folding, sorting, gardening u2014 produce measurable improvements in wellbeing for people with dementia, and that group-only activity programmes frequently exclude those with advanced dementia.","watch_out":"Ask: 'If my parent reaches a point where they can no longer join group activities, what one-to-one engagement would they receive, and how is that recorded in their care plan?'"}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Not yet rated

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Requires Improvement at the November 2025 inspection. A named registered manager (Mrs Paula Jefford) and nominated individual (Mrs Claire Louise Sharpe) are in post, which indicates a formal structure exists. However, Well-led being rated Requires Improvement means inspectors found that governance, oversight, and the leadership culture were not working effectively enough. Leadership quality is significant because it directly predicts whether all other domains will improve u2014 a home with strong leadership can turn around Requires Improvement ratings; a home with weak leadership tends to remain stuck.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Good Practice research is clear: leadership stability is the single strongest predictor of whether a care home improves or declines. When Well-led is rated Requires Improvement alongside every other domain, it raises the question of whether the management team has both the capacity and the plan to drive meaningful change. Our family review data shows 23.4% of positive reviews mention visible, accountable management as a key factor in family confidence. Before choosing Sutton Lodge, you need to understand what specific improvements the management team has committed to since November 2025, whether a re-inspection is scheduled, and how long the current registered manager has been in post.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base identifies 'bottom-up empowerment' u2014 where frontline staff feel able to raise concerns and see them acted on u2014 as a key marker of a well-led service; homes where staff feel unable to speak up are at significantly higher risk of sustained poor care.","watch_out":"Ask the registered manager directly: 'What are the three specific changes you have made since the November 2025 inspection, and how will you know if they have worked?'"}

  Verified by inspector

Source: CQC inspection report →

What the evidence base says

Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The team supports residents with sensory impairments and physical disabilities, alongside their dementia care services. They're set up to care for adults both under and over 65, making them suitable for people at different life stages who need residential support.. Gaps or open questions remain on For residents living with dementia, Sutton Lodge provides specialised care as part of their range of services. The home accommodates people with dementia alongside their other specialist areas. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.