Hardwick Dene
- Care home
- 50 beds
- No nursing
- Dementia care
- Registered since 2015
- Cambridgeshire, East of England
Requires improvement
Rated on
Rating from the Care Quality Commission.
At a glance
5 ratings
Its last inspection moved it down from Good to Requires improvement.
2 months
since the latest rating was published.
10 of 121
rated care homes in Cambridgeshire are rated Requires improvement, like this one.
Hardwick Dene: inspection record
Rated Requires improvement in August 2026, down from Good.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||||||||||
| Safe | ||||||||||||
| Effective | ||||||||||||
| Caring | ||||||||||||
| Responsive | ||||||||||||
| Well-led |
Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Montague House (Good, 1.9 miles away) and The Manor - Care Home Physical Disabilities (Good, 2.2 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- G Montague House Good, 1.9 miles away
- G The Manor - Care Home Physical Disabilities Good, 2.2 miles away
- G Hill House Good, 3 miles away
- G Paxton Hall Care Home Good, 3.3 miles away
- G Ferrars Hall Care Home Good, 3.6 miles away
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 14 August 2026 (assessment visit 12 June 2026). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of inspection: 25 June 2026 to 7 July 2026.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection carried out between 25 June 2026 and 7 July 2026 by 2 Adult Social Care Inspectors and a Medicines Inspector. We carried out this inspection in response to concerns we had received about the service and because it had not been inspected for some time.
- Safe No rating
- Effective No rating
- Caring Good
- Responsive No rating
- Well-led No rating
Read the rest of CQC's summary
Hardwick Dene is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 50 people. At the time of the inspection, 43 people were living at the service. The service had a registered manager, supported by 2 deputy managers, senior care staff and a Director of Care and Governance. Arrangements were in place to ensure there was a management presence within the service each day.
The inspection identified concerns relating to risk management, clinical oversight, care planning, medicines management, record keeping and governance. People's risks were not always effectively assessed, monitored or managed, and care records did not consistently reflect people's needs, known risks or the care they had received. We also identified concerns relating to wound management, the management of long-term health conditions, falls management, end of life care planning and medicines oversight. These issues had not been consistently identified or addressed through the provider's governance arrangements.
Following feedback during the inspection, the provider engaged positively with the inspection process and took prompt action to address the concerns identified. This included reviewing care records, introducing additional monitoring tools and strengthening management oversight. Although we found evidence that some improvements had been implemented during the inspection period, they had not yet become fully embedded in practice and further work was required to demonstrate sustained improvement.
We identified 2 breaches of regulation during this inspection. We have asked the provider to submit an action plan setting out how they will address the concerns identified and achieve sustained compliance.
-
Safe
No rating
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to people’s safe care and treatment and the ways people’s medicines were managed safely.
-
Effective
No rating
Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant the effectiveness of people’s care, treatment and support did not always achieve good outcomes or was inconsistent.
-
Caring
Good
Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
-
Responsive
No rating
Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant people’s needs were not always met.
-
Well-led
No rating
Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to governance at the service.
Questions to ask when you visit
- Safe was rated Requires improvement on 14 August 2026. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
- Effective was rated Requires improvement on 14 August 2026. Ask about staff training and how health appointments are arranged.
- Responsive was rated Requires improvement on 14 August 2026. Ask to see how care plans are kept up to date, how complaints are handled and what activities are on offer.
- Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 14 August 2026. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.
Registration details
- Registered with the CQC since
- What it provides
- Care home service without nursing
- Who it supports
- Dementia, Older People, Younger Adults
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)6 inspection reports, latest 26 February 2022. Latest assessment published 14 August 2026; the Care Quality Commission's newer assessments are published on its website rather than as reports.
The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.
Who runs it
- Provider
- Hardwick Dene Ltd
- Ownership type
- Organisation
- Companies House number
- 09166794 (opens Companies House)
Getting help from Cambridgeshire County Council
The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.
- Adult social care at Cambridgeshire County Council
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 0345 045 5202, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- Contact adult social care online
- Support for carers
- Paying for care: Cambridgeshire County Council
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does Hardwick Dene provide nursing care?
- No. The Care Quality Commission lists Hardwick Dene as a care home without nursing.
- How many beds does Hardwick Dene have?
- The Care Quality Commission's register lists 50 beds at Hardwick Dene.
- When was Hardwick Dene last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Hardwick Dene was published on 14 August 2026.
- Who runs Hardwick Dene?
- Hardwick Dene is run by Hardwick Dene Ltd.
- What is Hardwick Dene's CQC rating?
- Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 14 August 2026.
Contact
- Phone
- 01480 811322
- Address
- Hardwick Lane, Buckden, St Neots, PE19 5UN Map (opens Google Maps)
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Montague House (Good, 1.9 miles away) and The Manor - Care Home Physical Disabilities (Good, 2.2 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- G Montague House Good, 1.9 miles away
- G The Manor - Care Home Physical Disabilities Good, 2.2 miles away
- G Hill House Good, 3 miles away
- G Paxton Hall Care Home Good, 3.3 miles away
- G Ferrars Hall Care Home Good, 3.6 miles away