Harbledown Lodge
Harbledown Lodge is a nursing home in Canterbury, Kent (CT2 9AP). It holds a CQC rating of Requires Improvement.
About Harbledown Lodge
We are Harbledown Lodge, a nursing home in Canterbury, Kent. We care for older people who need qualified nursing alongside support with daily living, including people living with dementia, and we take respite admissions for shorter stays. Our most recent overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is requires improvement, and we would rather tell you that ourselves than have you find it elsewhere. We have worked through the findings in detail, changed how care is planned, recorded and reviewed, and strengthened the way we supervise and support our staff. Our progress is being monitored, and relatives are given the same account of it that we give the regulator. What we are working to protect in the meantime is the everyday experience of living here. Nurses on duty at all hours mean health needs can be managed as they change, from medication and wound care to pain and increasing frailty. Around that, people should still be choosing when to get up, what to eat and how to spend the day, looked after by staff who know their history well enough to notice quickly when they are not themselves. If you are considering Harbledown Lodge for someone, please visit and ask about the rating directly. We will answer fully.
Care provided at Harbledown Lodge
- Older person care
- Dementia care
- Respite care
- Last CQC inspection: 2 October 2019
Read the full inspection report on the CQC website.
What the inspectors found
A plain English summary of the Care Quality Commission inspection behind the current rating of Harbledown Lodge. Report published 28 April 2023.
- 28 February 2023
- 56 places, 40 people were using the service at the time
Safe
Inspectors found that risks to people's health and safety had not always been assessed, and guidance for staff was not always consistent. Medicines had not always been managed safely, and some areas had not been maintained to reduce the risk of infection. Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to meet people's needs.
Well-led
Checks and audits on the quality of the service had been completed, but they had not found the shortfalls inspectors found. Staff had not kept accurate records about people's care and support. Inspectors found breaches relating to record keeping and governance, and CQC said it will ask the provider for an action plan.
What people told the inspectors
People told inspectors they felt safe living at the service.
Since the last inspection
Rated Requires improvement in April 2023, down from Good.
Safe moved from Good to Requires improvement; Well-led moved from Good to Requires improvement; Effective is still Good; Caring is still Good; Responsive is still Good.
- 28 April 2023: Inspection looking at part of the service, rated Requires improvement. This inspection gave the current rating.
- 2 October 2019: Routine inspection, rated Good
- 24 August 2018: Routine inspection, rated Requires improvement
- 13 June 2017: Routine inspection, rated Requires improvement
- 11 March 2016: Routine inspection, rated Requires improvement
- 4 October 2014: Routine inspection
Read the full report on the CQC website
Source: Care Quality Commission inspection report, summarised by CareAssura. Contains CQC data used under the Open Government Licence.
How Harbledown Lodge compares in Canterbury
Measured against the 54 care homes for older people registered in Canterbury. The dark dot is this home.
- Size
- 56 places. Larger than 41 of the 54 homes. The local average is 36 places.
- CQC rating
- Requires improvement. 34 of the 54 homes (63%) are rated Good or Outstanding. Across Kent the figure is 68%.
- Latest report
- 28 April 2023. 21 of the 54 homes have published a newer inspection report since.
- Registered
- January 2011. 34 of the 54 homes registered more recently.
- Care offered
- Nursing and dementia care. Of the 54 homes, 15 offer nursing care and 35 offer dementia care.
- Food hygiene
- 4 out of 5. The same rating as 3 of the 50 homes that have one.
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Data: CQC register and Food Standards Agency ratings. Counts cover registered care homes for older people in Canterbury.
The local picture: Canterbury
What the numbers say about care for older people in Canterbury, in Kent.
What care costs in Kent, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|
| Residential care | £1,187 | £1,409 to £1,600 (Middle half of prices from 22 Kent homes. Median £1,500.) |
| Nursing care | £1,378 | £1,550 to £1,865 (Middle half of prices from 11 Kent homes. Median £1,605.) |
| Residential dementia care | Not published separately | £1,500 to £1,619 (Middle half of prices from 18 Kent homes. Median £1,500.) |
| Nursing dementia care | Not published separately | £1,975 to £2,226 (South East figure, because too few Kent homes publish this price. 37 homes. Median £2,050.) |
Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.
- People aged 75 and over: 19,800. Rising to 23,300 by 2035, up 17%
- People aged 85 and over: 5,300. Rising to 8,200 by 2035, up 54%
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 2,600. Rising to 3,300 by 2035, up 28%
- Dementia diagnosis rate: 73%. The NHS ambition is 67%. Kent as a whole is 62%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 91. Kent average is 77.
- Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 2 closed. 5 changed owner, covering 153 beds.
- Care home beds filled across Kent: 88%. The 12 month average is 88%.
- Who pays, across Kent (estimate): 35% council, 43% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Planned and recent building work within 5 miles
- 0.9 miles: Depot Adj Hall Place Harbledown Bypass Harbledown Kent. Application for a 72 bed care home through a change of use. Submitted 11 November 2025. Decision pending.
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, dementia estimates, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.
Good to know about Harbledown Lodge
Facts from public registers, and what is close by.
- Registered with CQC
- 24 January 2011, so 15 years.
- Food hygiene rating
- 4 out of 5. Good. Last inspected by the local council on 10 November 2025.
- Run by
- Uniquehelp Limited, which runs 4 adult social care services in England. None of the 4 that have a rating is rated Good or Outstanding.
Sources: CQC register, Food Standards Agency, OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances are in a straight line from the postcode, not walking or driving routes.
Local services near Harbledown Lodge
The closest places to this home, measured in a straight line from its postcode. They are the nearest, not necessarily the ones the home uses. Ask the home which GP, dentist and pharmacy its residents are registered with.
Nearest 24 hour A&E
- William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, 11.2 miles away
It is about 11.2 miles in a straight line from the postcode. The drive is usually longer. In an emergency call 999; the ambulance may take you elsewhere.
Nearest GP practices
Nearest dentists
Nearest pharmacies
Nearest railway stations
- Canterbury West Station, 2 miles away
- Chartham Station, 2.1 miles away
- Canterbury East Station, 2.2 miles away
Around Harbledown Lodge
- H: Harbledown Lodge
- A: 24 hour A&E
- G: GP practice
- D: Dentist
- P: Pharmacy
- S: Railway station
Straight line distances, not routes. Places very close to the home are spread out slightly so they can be told apart.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Practice and pharmacy details from the NHS England Organisation Data Service. A&E sites from NHS England A&E data and the Organisation Data Service. Railway stations from the Department for Transport NaPTAN dataset. Distances are straight line and approximate.
Common questions about Harbledown Lodge
Where is Harbledown Lodge located?
Harbledown Lodge is a nursing home in Canterbury, Kent, CT2 9AP. You can view its exact location and get directions from the map on this page.
What type of care does Harbledown Lodge provide?
Harbledown Lodge is registered to provide nursing and personal care, with support that includes Older person care, Dementia care, Respite care. The full list of services is shown on this page.
What is Harbledown Lodge's CQC rating?
Harbledown Lodge is registered with and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Its most recent overall rating is Requires Improvement following its last inspection on 2 October 2019. You can read the full CQC report from the link on this page.
Does Harbledown Lodge provide dementia care?
Yes. Harbledown Lodge supports people living with dementia. We recommend contacting the home directly to discuss your individual situation.
Does Harbledown Lodge offer respite or short-term care?
Yes. Harbledown Lodge offers respite and short-term care. Availability changes regularly, so it is best to enquire directly.
Questions families ask about Harbledown Lodge
Can Mum or Dad stay here if their dementia gets worse?
Yes. Harbledown Lodge is registered for dementia care, so someone whose needs increase can usually stay rather than move.
Is there a nurse on site if health needs change?
Yes. Yes. Harbledown Lodge is registered to provide nursing care, so registered nurses are part of the team.
Can they try a short stay before deciding?
Yes. Yes. Harbledown Lodge offers respite and short stays, which is a good way to see whether the home is the right fit.
Will they support end of life care, so there is no move at the hardest time?
Ask the home. End of life care is not listed on the register. Ask the manager whether residents can remain in the home with hospice or district nurse support.
Can she bring her cat or dog?
Ask the home. The home has not told us its pet policy yet. Ask directly; some homes allow small pets in residents' rooms or welcome visiting dogs.
Can a couple stay together?
Ask the home. We do not know whether the home has rooms for couples. Ask about shared or adjoining rooms if this matters.
Will the council help pay, or is it self funded only?
Ask the home. The home has not told us which funding it accepts. Most homes take both council funded and self funded residents; ask about council rates and any top up.
Do they take younger adults as well as older people?
No. Harbledown Lodge is registered for older people. Younger adults are not listed.
Can I visit before deciding, and are there visiting hours?
Ask the home. Every home should welcome a visit. Call to arrange one, ideally at a mealtime or during an activity, and ask about visiting hours for family.
Typical weekly fees in the South East
Harbledown Lodge has not published its fees yet. These are typical weekly fees for the South East, so you know roughly what to expect before you call.
- Residential care: £1,100 to £1,450 per week per person, typical range
- Dementia care: £1,200 to £1,550 per week per person, typical range
- Nursing care: £1,350 to £1,750 per week per person, typical range
Indicative figures for the South East, not a quote from Harbledown Lodge. Actual fees depend on the room, the level of care and how it is funded.
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