Fairdene Lodge Care Home – Brighton & Hove
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds32
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2022-02-24
- Activities programmeThe home has put real thought into creating spaces that work for people living with dementia. There's a train carriage area and a village high street setting — clever touches that help residents find their way around and spark conversations about the past. Everything looks well-maintained and clean, with careful attention to creating different atmospheres in different areas.
- Visit Website
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Visitors describe walking into a warm atmosphere where staff are approachable and friendly. Residents seem content, joining in with activities and clearly enjoying each other's company. There's a real sense of people being looked after as individuals, with staff taking time to engage properly rather than just rushing through tasks.
Based on 8 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth88
- Compassion & dignity87
- Cleanliness78
- Activities & engagement90
- Food quality72
- Healthcare78
- Management & leadership90
- Resident happiness82
What inspectors found
Inspected 2022-02-24 · Report published 2022-02-24 · Inspected 4 times in the last three years
Is this home safe?
{"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the December 2024 inspection, an improvement from the previous Requires Improvement rating. This covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, and the physical safety of the environment. The published summary does not include specific observations or numbers. No concerns were flagged in relation to safety. The previous Requires Improvement rating means inspectors had found issues in an earlier visit, and the Good rating now confirms these were resolved.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"The improvement from Requires Improvement to Good in Safe is the most important single data point in this report for families. It means inspectors went back, checked, and found the problems had been fixed. That said, Good in Safe without published detail leaves some questions open. Good Practice research consistently shows that night staffing is where safety most often slips in care homes, and that heavy agency use undermines the consistency your parent needs if they have dementia. Because the published report does not give you staffing ratios or agency figures, these are questions you need to ask directly before making a decision.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review (2026) found that night staffing levels and consistency of permanent staff are among the strongest predictors of safety outcomes in dementia care homes. Homes with high agency reliance showed more variable care quality even when overall ratings were positive.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota for the last two weeks, not a template. Count how many shifts on the dementia unit were covered by agency or bank staff, and ask specifically how many carers are on duty after 9pm."}
Is the care effective?
{"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good at the December 2024 inspection. This domain covers staff training, care planning, healthcare access, and food. The home specialises in dementia care, which means inspectors will have looked specifically at whether staff have appropriate dementia training and whether care plans reflect individual needs. The published summary does not include specific detail about training content, GP access arrangements, or food quality. No concerns in this domain were flagged.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating for Effective at a specialist dementia home is reassuring, but the lack of published detail means you cannot yet confirm what dementia training staff actually receive or how often your parent's care plan would be reviewed with you. Food quality accounts for 20.9% of the positive signals in our family review data, making it one of the themes families most notice, yet the published report gives no specific information about menus, dietary support, or how the home handles someone who has lost interest in eating. Ask about all of these on your visit. Good Practice evidence shows that care plans used as living documents, updated with family input, make a measurable difference to wellbeing for people with dementia.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that regular, structured dementia training (not just induction-level) was associated with significantly better person-centred care outcomes. Homes where care plans were reviewed with family members at least every three months showed higher family satisfaction scores.","watch_out":"Ask to see a sample care plan (anonymised if needed) and ask specifically: when was the last review, who attended it, and how would you as a family member be included going forward?"}
Is this home caring?
{"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the December 2024 inspection. This covers staff warmth, dignity, respect, and how well the home supports your parent's independence. A Good rating in Caring requires inspectors to have observed positive interactions and to have found that residents are treated with respect. The published summary does not include specific inspector observations, resident quotes, or examples of named staff interactions. No concerns about care or dignity were flagged.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of positive family reviews in our data, mentioned in 57.3% of positive Google reviews across more than 5,400 UK care homes. Compassion and dignity follow closely at 55.2%. A Good rating for Caring is a positive signal, but because this report contains no specific inspector observations or resident testimony, you cannot yet verify what warmth looks like in practice at Fairdene Lodge. Good Practice research underlines that non-verbal communication matters as much as verbal interaction for people with dementia: whether a member of staff makes eye contact, crouches to speak at eye level, or moves without hurry tells your parent something important even if they can no longer process words easily. These are things to watch for yourself on a visit.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research evidence review found that person-centred care quality for people with dementia depends heavily on staff knowing each individual's history, preferences, and communication style. Homes where staff could describe residents as people, not as care needs, consistently achieved better dignity outcomes.","watch_out":"When you visit, watch how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal spaces when they think no one is observing them. Do they use preferred names? Do they slow down and make eye contact? Ask the manager what name your parent would be called, and by whom."}
Is the home responsive?
{"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Outstanding at the December 2024 inspection, the highest possible rating. Responsive covers activities, individual engagement, how well the home responds to changing needs, and end-of-life care. An Outstanding rating requires inspectors to have found specific, exceptional evidence that the home goes beyond standard expectations in tailoring its approach to each individual. The published summary does not include the specific examples that earned this rating, but the rating itself is a strong positive signal. Fewer than one in ten care homes in England achieve Outstanding in this domain.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"An Outstanding Responsive rating at a specialist dementia home is genuinely significant. Activities and resident happiness together account for nearly half of the positive signals in our family review data (21.4% and 27.1% respectively), and Good Practice research is clear that for people with dementia, individually tailored engagement, not just group activities, makes a material difference to mood, behaviour, and quality of life. What you need to find out is what Outstanding looks like for your parent specifically: whether there are one-to-one activities for someone who cannot join a group, whether the home uses everyday tasks like folding, sorting, or cooking as meaningful engagement, and how end-of-life wishes are documented and honoured.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that Montessori-based and individually tailored activity approaches reduced agitation and improved wellbeing for people with moderate to advanced dementia significantly more than group-only programmes. Everyday household tasks used as purposeful engagement showed particular benefit for maintaining a sense of identity.","watch_out":"Ask the activities coordinator to describe specifically what they would do for your parent on a day when your parent did not want to join a group. Ask to see last week's actual activity records, not a printed programme, to check whether one-to-one engagement is happening in practice."}
Is the home well-led?
{"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Outstanding at the December 2024 inspection, alongside Responsive the strongest result in this report. Well-led covers management culture, governance, accountability, staff empowerment, and how the home uses feedback to improve. Both the registered manager, Mrs Thulani Ncube, and the nominated individual, Ms Maria Holliday-Welch, are named and confirmed in post. An Outstanding rating in this domain requires inspectors to have found a leadership culture that is open, accountable, and consistently improving. The published summary does not detail specific governance mechanisms or evidence of learning from incidents, but the rating is a strong positive indicator.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Good Practice research identifies leadership stability as one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time. The fact that named managers are in post and that the home has moved from Requires Improvement to two Outstanding ratings suggests a leadership team that identified problems and fixed them, which is exactly the trajectory families should look for. Our family review data shows that communication with family (11.5% of positive reviews) and visible management (23.4%) matter greatly to the people making decisions about care. An Outstanding Well-led rating suggests these are likely strengths, but ask directly how the manager would communicate with you if something went wrong.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research rapid evidence review found that homes with stable, visible managers who empowered staff to raise concerns showed consistently better care outcomes. Leadership tenure of two or more years was associated with significantly lower staff turnover and higher resident wellbeing scores.","watch_out":"Ask the manager directly: how long have you been in post, and what was the main thing you changed after the previous inspection? The answer will tell you whether the improvement is recent and sustainable, or whether it reflects a longer pattern of strong leadership."}
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 Fairdene Lodge specialises in caring for people over 65, with particular expertise in dementia care.. Gaps or open questions remain on The home's approach to dementia care shows in practical details like the themed areas that help with wayfinding and memory. Staff clearly understand how to engage residents with dementia, using familiar music and activities to maintain social connections and moments of joy. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Fairdene Lodge scores well above average, driven by Outstanding ratings in both Responsive and Well-led, which reflect strong individual engagement and visible leadership. Scores in cleanliness, food, and healthcare are positive but rest on limited published detail, so some questions remain worth asking on a visit.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Visitors describe walking into a warm atmosphere where staff are approachable and friendly. Residents seem content, joining in with activities and clearly enjoying each other's company. There's a real sense of people being looked after as individuals, with staff taking time to engage properly rather than just rushing through tasks.
What inspectors have recorded
Staff here respond quickly when residents need something, and families notice this attentiveness straight away. The team seems to understand the importance of keeping families in the loop, making visitors feel comfortable asking questions. One industry professional who visited noted the staff seemed particularly content in their work.
How it sits against good practice
If you're looking for somewhere in Hove that combines thoughtful dementia design with staff who genuinely seem to care, Fairdene Lodge is worth getting to know better.
Worth a visit
Fairdene Lodge, at 14-16 Walsingham Road in Hove, was assessed in December 2024 and rated Good overall, with two domains, Responsive and Well-led, rated Outstanding. This is a significant improvement from a previous Requires Improvement rating, and the combination of Outstanding in both engagement and leadership is rare: fewer than one in ten care homes in England achieve Outstanding in either domain. The home specialises in dementia care for adults over 65 and has 32 beds. The registered manager and nominated individual are both named and in post, which is a positive sign of stability. The main uncertainty here is detail. The published report summary is brief and does not include specific inspector observations, resident testimony, or staff quotes, so many positive indicators can only be inferred from the domain ratings rather than confirmed by specific evidence. Before deciding, visit the home and ask the manager to show you last week's actual staffing rota (not a template), ask how many permanent staff work the night shift on the dementia unit, and observe whether staff interact with residents at an unhurried pace using preferred names. These are the details that will tell you whether the Outstanding rating reflects what your parent would experience day to day.
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In Their Own Words
How Fairdene Lodge Care Home – Brighton & Hove describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where thoughtful design meets genuine warmth for residents with dementia
Fairdene Lodge – Expert Care in Hove
When families visit Fairdene Lodge in Hove, they often comment on how quickly their worries ease. The staff here have a knack for making both residents and visitors feel genuinely welcome, whether you're dropping in for the first time or settling into a regular visiting routine. It's the kind of place where requests get answered promptly and where you'll spot residents enjoying activities together rather than sitting alone.
Who they care for
Fairdene Lodge specialises in caring for people over 65, with particular expertise in dementia care.
The home's approach to dementia care shows in practical details like the themed areas that help with wayfinding and memory. Staff clearly understand how to engage residents with dementia, using familiar music and activities to maintain social connections and moments of joy.
Management & ethos
Staff here respond quickly when residents need something, and families notice this attentiveness straight away. The team seems to understand the importance of keeping families in the loop, making visitors feel comfortable asking questions. One industry professional who visited noted the staff seemed particularly content in their work.
The home & environment
The home has put real thought into creating spaces that work for people living with dementia. There's a train carriage area and a village high street setting — clever touches that help residents find their way around and spark conversations about the past. Everything looks well-maintained and clean, with careful attention to creating different atmospheres in different areas.
“If you're looking for somewhere in Hove that combines thoughtful dementia design with staff who genuinely seem to care, Fairdene Lodge is worth getting to know better.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
