Rated Care Homes

Brandon Lodge Care Home

RI

Requires improvement

Rated on

Rating from the Care Quality Commission.

At a glance

  • 4 ratings

    Its last inspection moved it down from Good to Requires improvement.

  • 20 months

    since the latest rating was published.

  • 10 of 136

    rated care homes in County Durham are rated Requires improvement, like this one.

Brandon Lodge Care Home: inspection record

Care home with nursing, 38 beds, County Durham

Rated Requires improvement in February 2025, down from Good.

Brandon Lodge Care Home: inspection record: inspection ratings by year, 2015 to 2026
201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Overall
Safe
Effective
Caring
Responsive
Well-led

Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.

Compare nearby

Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Rushyfields Residential and Nursing Home (Good, 0.2 miles away) and Nevilles Court (Good, 1.7 miles away).

Nearest care homes:

  1. G
  2. G
    Nevilles Court Good, 1.7 miles away
  3. G
    St Aiden's Cottage Good, 1.9 miles away
  4. G
    St Margaret's Care Home Good, 2.3 miles away
  5. G
    Melbury Court Good, 2.6 miles away

See all care homes in County Durham

What inspectors found

From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 6 February 2025 (assessment visit 15 November 2024). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.

Date of Assessment: 4 December 2024 to 9 December 2024. The service provides nursing and personal care to older people, some of whom were living with dementia. We found 1 breach of regulation in relation to good governance. Due to a lack of robust management oversight, the service did not always have safe systems for medicines administration and record keeping. This included the use of thickening agents and topical medicines. Following our inspection the provider implemented changes to improve medicines systems. However, the full effects of these changes could not be measured until they were embedded into practice. There were also incidents and potential safeguarding concerns which had not been notified to CQC as expected. This was dealt with outside of the assessment. Improvement was needed to the quality of records. Some records contained gaps and others were not completed at all. For example, further information was needed in the fire risk assessment, other health and safety checks were completed appropriately. There were delays in applying for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard authorisations, once they had expired, and Mental Capacity Assessments were completed for people who had capacity to make their own decisions. Care plans required more person-centred information. The provider was unable to demonstrate complaints were logged. Records showed new staff were recruited safely. However, there were no induction records for agency staff.

  • Safe No rating
  • Effective Good
  • Caring Good
  • Responsive Good
  • Well-led No rating
Read the rest of CQC's summary
  1. 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.

  2. Effective

    Good

    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 remained good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

  3. Caring

    Good

    Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the service 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.

  4. Responsive

    Good

    Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

  5. 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 service 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 the governance of the service.

Questions to ask when you visit

  1. Safe was rated Requires improvement on 6 February 2025. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
  2. Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 6 February 2025. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.
  3. Ask how nursing cover works at night and at weekends.

Registration details

Registered manager
Cheryl Rushforth
Registered with the CQC since
What it provides
Care home service with nursing
Who it supports
Dementia, Mental Health, Older People, Physical Disability, Younger Adults

Inspection report

Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)

The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.

Who runs it

Provider
Lotus Care Brandon Lodge LimitedBrand: Jaydeep Patel
Ownership type
Organisation
Companies House number
15383348 (opens Companies House)

Getting help from Durham County Council

The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.

Checked on the council's website, November 2026.

Common questions

Does Brandon Lodge Care Home provide nursing care?
Yes. The Care Quality Commission lists Brandon Lodge Care Home as a care home with nursing.
How many beds does Brandon Lodge Care Home have?
The Care Quality Commission's register lists 38 beds at Brandon Lodge Care Home.
When was Brandon Lodge Care Home last inspected?
The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Brandon Lodge Care Home was published on 6 February 2025.
Who runs Brandon Lodge Care Home?
Brandon Lodge Care Home is run by Lotus Care Brandon Lodge Limited.
What is Brandon Lodge Care Home's CQC rating?
Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 6 February 2025.

Contact

Address
Commercial Street, Brandon, Durham, DH7 8PH Map (opens Google Maps)
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)

Compare nearby

Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Rushyfields Residential and Nursing Home (Good, 0.2 miles away) and Nevilles Court (Good, 1.7 miles away).

Nearest care homes:

  1. G
  2. G
    Nevilles Court Good, 1.7 miles away
  3. G
    St Aiden's Cottage Good, 1.9 miles away
  4. G
    St Margaret's Care Home Good, 2.3 miles away
  5. G
    Melbury Court Good, 2.6 miles away

See all care homes in County Durham