Rated Care Homes

Hatfield Lodge

RI

Requires improvement

Rated on

Rating from the Care Quality Commission.

At a glance

  • 3 ratings

    Its last inspection improved it from Inadequate to Requires improvement.

  • 9 months

    since the latest rating was published.

  • 89 of 445

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

Hatfield Lodge: inspection record

Care home, 34 beds, Kent

Rated Requires improvement in January 2026, up from Inadequate.

Hatfield Lodge: 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: St Heliers Care Home (Good, 0.1 miles away) and Wells Lodge Nursing Home (Good, 0.2 miles away).

Nearest care homes:

  1. G
    St Heliers Care Home Good, 0.1 miles away
  2. G
    Wells Lodge Nursing Home Good, 0.2 miles away
  3. G
    Grimston House Care Home Good, 0.3 miles away
  4. RI
    Tudor Lodge Requires improvement, 0.3 miles away
  5. G
    Carlile Lodge Good, 0.3 miles away

See all care homes in Kent

See all care homes in Folkestone

What inspectors found

From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 23 January 2026 (assessment visit 6 November 2025). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.

Date of assessment: 10 November to 5 December 2025. Hatfield Lodge is a residential home for older people who are living with dementia. The assessment was completed to follow up on enforcement action following our last assessment. At our last assessment we identified 4 breaches of regulation including safe care, governance, person centred care and safe staffing. At this assessment we found improvements had been made but further improvement was needed and the service continued to be in breach of regulation relating to staff recruitment.

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

There had been changes to the management team at the service, the operations director had based themselves at the service to drive improvement. They had also applied to be the registered manager, which was confirmed during the assessment. The oversight of the service had improved, and the provider had commissioned an external quality audit and dementia mapping study. The audits had identified shortfalls, an action plan had been put in place, and there continued to be further improvement needed. The way in which staff worked had changed and people now received support when they needed it. Some staff hours had increased such as laundry staff and the cook; this had given care staff more time to spend with people. Potential risks to people’s health and welfare had been assessed, though guidance had improved there were still some areas which required further detail. Accidents and incidents were now recorded and analysed but the action taken was not always recorded clearly. Medicine management had improved but guidance relating to when required medicines still needed to be improved.

This service has been in Special Measures since 19 August 2025. The provider demonstrated improvements that have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

  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 inadequate. 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 safe staff recruitment.

  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 inadequate. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

  4. 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 inadequate. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant people’s needs were not always met.

  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 inadequate. 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.

Questions to ask when you visit

  1. Safe was rated Requires improvement on 23 January 2026. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
  2. Responsive was rated Requires improvement on 23 January 2026. Ask to see how care plans are kept up to date, how complaints are handled and what activities are on offer.
  3. Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 23 January 2026. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.

Registration details

Registered manager
Lalitha Kumar
Registered with the CQC since
What it provides
Care home service without nursing
Who it supports
Dementia, Older People

Inspection report

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

1 inspection report, latest 26 October 2017. Latest assessment published 23 January 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
Hatfield lodge care home LimitedBrand: 1st Choice Care Homes
Ownership type
Organisation
Companies House number
10172173 (opens Companies House)

Getting help from Kent 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 Hatfield Lodge provide nursing care?
No. The Care Quality Commission lists Hatfield Lodge as a care home without nursing.
How many beds does Hatfield Lodge have?
The Care Quality Commission's register lists 34 beds at Hatfield Lodge.
When was Hatfield Lodge last inspected?
The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Hatfield Lodge was published on 23 January 2026.
Who runs Hatfield Lodge?
Hatfield Lodge is run by Hatfield lodge care home Limited.
What is Hatfield Lodge's CQC rating?
Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 23 January 2026.

Contact

Phone
01303 253253
Address
1-3 Trinity Gardens, Folkestone, CT20 2RP Map (opens Google Maps)
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)

Compare nearby

Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: St Heliers Care Home (Good, 0.1 miles away) and Wells Lodge Nursing Home (Good, 0.2 miles away).

Nearest care homes:

  1. G
    St Heliers Care Home Good, 0.1 miles away
  2. G
    Wells Lodge Nursing Home Good, 0.2 miles away
  3. G
    Grimston House Care Home Good, 0.3 miles away
  4. RI
    Tudor Lodge Requires improvement, 0.3 miles away
  5. G
    Carlile Lodge Good, 0.3 miles away

See all care homes in Kent

See all care homes in Folkestone