Holly Tree Lodge

What families say

Based on 3 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth55
• Compassion & dignity55
• Cleanliness55
• Activities & engagement52
• Food quality52
• Healthcare55
• Management & leadership60
• Resident happiness55

What inspectors found

Inspected 2019-08-30 · Report published 2019-08-30 · Inspected 1 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The inspection awarded a Good rating for safety in August 2019. No specific concerns about staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, or falls were recorded in the published summary. A named registered manager was in post. Beyond the domain rating itself, no detailed findings are available in the published report text.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good safety rating is a baseline reassurance, but it tells you relatively little on its own u2014 especially when the inspection is now more than five years old. Our family review data shows that families are particularly concerned about staff attentiveness and how safe environments feel day-to-day. Good Practice evidence from the rapid evidence review highlights that night staffing is the point where safety most often slips in care homes, and that over-reliance on agency staff undermines the consistency that keeps people safe. Neither of these was addressed in the published findings, so you will need to ask directly.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research / Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that night staffing ratios and agency staff reliance are two of the strongest predictors of safety incidents u2014 neither is visible in this inspection's published findings.","watch_out":"Ask the home: how many permanent, named staff are on duty overnight on the dementia unit, and on a typical week, how many agency shifts are covered? If they cannot give you a specific answer, that itself tells you something."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"Effective was rated Good at the August 2019 inspection. This domain covers care planning, staff training, access to healthcare, and how well the home meets nutritional needs. No specific findings are published u2014 no examples of care plan quality, dementia training content, GP access arrangements, or mealtime observations are recorded in the available report text.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating in this domain means that at the time of inspection, the basics of effective care were in place. However, for families choosing a home for a parent living with dementia, the detail matters enormously. Our family review data shows that dementia-specific care and food quality are among the things families notice most u2014 and they are precisely the areas where this inspection gives no specific evidence. Good Practice research tells us that care plans should be living documents, updated regularly as a person's needs change, with families actively involved in reviews. Ask to see your parent's draft care plan before they move in.","evidence_base":"The rapid evidence review found that care plans updated at least monthly, and co-produced with families, are associated with better outcomes for people living with dementia u2014 but there is no evidence in this inspection about how frequently Holly Tree Lodge reviews its care plans.","watch_out":"Ask to see a sample care plan and ask specifically: when was it last updated, who contributed to the review, and how would you tell us if our parent's needs had changed significantly between reviews?"}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"Caring was rated Good at the August 2019 inspection. This domain covers staff warmth, dignity, respect, and whether your parent's independence is supported. No inspector observations of staff interactions, no resident or relative quotes, and no specific examples of compassionate practice are recorded in the available published findings.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single most important theme in our family review data, cited in 57.3% of positive reviews across UK care homes. Compassion and dignity follow closely at 55.2%. That makes this the domain that matters most to families u2014 and it is also the domain where the absence of specific evidence in this inspection is most frustrating. A Good rating without supporting quotes or observations is hard to interpret. Good Practice research tells us that for people with dementia, non-verbal communication u2014 tone of voice, eye contact, unhurried presence u2014 matters as much as words. You can only assess this by visiting at different times of day.","evidence_base":"The rapid evidence review found that person-led caring requires staff to know individuals well u2014 their history, preferences, and communication style. Homes where staff can name specific things about each resident's life story score consistently higher on dignity measures.","watch_out":"When you visit, watch what happens when a member of staff passes your parent's room or encounters a resident in the corridor u2014 do they stop, make eye contact, use their name? An unhurried, warm interaction in passing tells you more than any formal demonstration."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"Responsive was rated Good at the August 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether the home responds to your parent as an individual u2014 through activities, personalised care, and end-of-life planning. No specific information about the activities programme, individual engagement for people with advanced dementia, or how complaints are handled is included in the published findings.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Activities and resident happiness together account for nearly half of what families highlight in positive reviews u2014 our data shows activities cited in 21.4% of positive reviews and resident happiness in 27.1%. For people living with dementia, the Good Practice evidence is clear: group activities alone are not enough. People who cannot participate in groups need one-to-one engagement u2014 and this is frequently where homes fall short. The inspection gives no detail about whether Holly Tree Lodge offers this. Ask to see the weekly activity schedule and ask specifically what provision exists for residents who are no longer able to join group sessions.","evidence_base":"The rapid evidence review found that Montessori-based approaches and engagement with familiar everyday tasks u2014 folding laundry, sorting objects, handling familiar items u2014 significantly reduce agitation and improve wellbeing in people with moderate to advanced dementia.","watch_out":"Ask the activities coordinator: what would a typical Tuesday look like for a resident with moderate dementia who finds group sessions overwhelming? If the answer is vague or defaults to 'we check on them regularly,' that suggests one-to-one activity provision may be limited."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"Well-led was rated Good at the August 2019 inspection. The home has a named registered manager (Miss Sara Jane Atkinson) and a nominated individual (Mrs Shamin Ahmed) on record. No specific observations about management visibility, staff culture, governance processes, or how the home learns from incidents are published in the available report text.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Management stability is one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time. Our family review data shows management and leadership cited in 23.4% of positive reviews, with communication with families highlighted in 11.5%. Good Practice research is clear that leadership tone sets the culture of the whole home u2014 staff who feel supported and able to speak up tend to deliver better care. The named manager at the 2019 inspection may or may not still be in post; over five years is a long time in social care leadership. Finding out whether the same manager is still there, and how long they have been in the role, should be one of your first questions.","evidence_base":"The rapid evidence review found that leadership stability u2014 a manager in post for two or more years u2014 is one of the most reliable predictors of consistent care quality, particularly in homes supporting people with dementia.","watch_out":"Before or during your visit, ask directly: is the registered manager who was in post in 2019 still leading the home, and how long have they been in this role? Also ask: in the past year, have any significant staffing or management changes happened that families should know about?"}

  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 at Holly Tree Lodge has experience caring for residents with dementia alongside those with learning or physical disabilities. This combination of specialisms means they work with people who have varying support needs.. Gaps or open questions remain on For residents living with dementia, the home provides specialised support tailored to individual needs. Their experience includes caring for people at different stages of dementia, from early diagnosis through to more advanced care requirements. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.