SafeAre people protected from abuse and avoidable harm?Good
EffectiveDoes care achieve good outcomes and a good quality of life?Good
CaringAre staff kind, compassionate and respectful?Good
ResponsiveAre services organised to meet people's needs?Good
Well-ledIs the home well managed, with a culture of high-quality care?Good
CQC hasn't inspected this home for more than 5 years. It re-inspects based on risk, so an old rating doesn't count against a home on this site, but it may not reflect the home today. ?
Run by Care South, Fern Brook Lodge is a nursing home in Gillingham, Dorset with 75 registered beds. CQC registers it to look after older people, people with dementia and younger adults. Most homes in Dorset are smaller: the median there is 31 beds.
CQC rated it Good overall and in all five key questions in March 2020. Its previous rating, in July 2019, was Requires improvement, so the home has improved. At over 5 years old, this rating is older than most. 26% of ratings in Dorset are as old (how rating age varies by council).
None of the 6 nearest rated homes has a higher rating. 14 of Care South’s 14 rated homes are Good or Outstanding (compare care home groups). Across Dorset, 94% of rated homes are Good or Outstanding, against 82% for England. Its kitchen was rated 5 for food hygiene in March 2025. That is true of 100% of homes in Dorset.
