Hazelwood Care Home
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Nursing homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds50
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2019-08-13
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Families talk about how well their relatives settle in, even those who were anxious about leaving home. There's a real effort to help people feel at ease — staff learn residents' preferences and habits, and there's always something happening to keep spirits up. The atmosphere stays cheerful without feeling forced, and relatives say they're made to feel welcome whenever they visit.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement65
- Food quality65
- Healthcare70
- Management & leadership75
- Resident happiness70
What inspectors found
Inspected 2019-08-13
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The inspection awarded a Good rating for effectiveness at Hazelwood Care Home. This domain covers training, care plan quality, healthcare access including GP involvement, and how well the home meets the specific needs of people with dementia. No specific detail about dementia training content, care plan reviews, GP visiting frequency, or how the home manages complex nursing needs is available in the published report text. The home holds a nursing registration, meaning it is expected to provide a higher level of clinical oversight than a residential-only home. What the inspection found to support the Good rating in this domain is not described in the text available for this analysis.Is this home caring?
The inspection awarded a Good rating for caring at Hazelwood Care Home. This domain covers staff warmth, dignity, respect for privacy, and whether residents retain as much independence as possible. No inspector observations about how staff interact with residents, whether residents are addressed by their preferred names, or whether care is delivered at a patient pace are available in the published report text. Staff warmth is the single highest-weighted theme in our family review data, accounting for 57.3% of positive reviews. Without specific observations or testimony, the Good rating here cannot be examined in more depth.Is the home responsive?
The inspection awarded a Good rating for responsiveness at Hazelwood Care Home. This domain covers activities, how well the home responds to individual preferences, and end-of-life care planning. No specific information about the activities programme, whether activities are tailored to individual residents including those with advanced dementia, or how end-of-life wishes are recorded and honoured is available in the published report text. The home is registered for dementia care, so the expectation is that activities are adapted to a range of cognitive and physical abilities, including one-to-one engagement for those who cannot participate in groups.Is the home well-led?
The inspection awarded a Good rating for leadership and governance at Hazelwood Care Home. Ms Allison June Petican is the registered manager and Mr Christopher David Ridgard is the nominated individual. The home is operated by Smartmove Homes Limited. Having a named registered manager is a basic but important governance requirement. The previous overall rating was Requires Improvement, and the move to Good across all domains suggests that leadership has driven meaningful improvement. No specific detail about the manager's tenure, how staff are supported, how the home learns from incidents, or how governance processes operate is available in the published report text.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
Hazelwood specialises in dementia care for people over 65, with structured activities designed to keep residents engaged — music sessions, crafts, discussion groups, and visits from external volunteers. The dementia care here includes practical touches that make a difference — a sensory room for calmer moments, activities pitched at the right level to maintain interest without frustration, and staff who understand how to respond when behaviour becomes difficult. Families mention seeing genuine improvements in mood and engagement after their relatives settle in. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Hazelwood Care Home has been rated Good across all five inspection domains, which is a meaningful improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. However, the published report text contains very little specific observational detail, so most scores sit in the 65-75 range reflecting confirmed positive ratings without the granular evidence needed to score higher.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families talk about how well their relatives settle in, even those who were anxious about leaving home. There's a real effort to help people feel at ease — staff learn residents' preferences and habits, and there's always something happening to keep spirits up. The atmosphere stays cheerful without feeling forced, and relatives say they're made to feel welcome whenever they visit.
What inspectors have recorded
The manager is hands-on and visible day-to-day, which seems to set the tone for the whole team. Staff stick around and build real relationships with residents, keeping that same warm approach even when dealing with challenging behaviour. When health issues come up, they coordinate well with doctors and visiting professionals, taking pressure off families trying to juggle multiple appointments.
How it sits against good practice
It's the kind of place where small details add up to something bigger — where caring for someone with dementia feels less overwhelming because you're not doing it alone.
Worth a visit
Hazelwood Care Home in Longfield, Kent was assessed in March 2025 and rated Good across all five inspection domains: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. This is a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating, which suggests meaningful progress under the current management team. The home provides nursing care for up to 50 adults over 65, with dementia listed as a specialism, and has a named registered manager in post. The main caution here is that the published report contains almost no specific observational detail, so it is not possible to verify what daily life actually looks like for your parent. A Good rating is genuinely positive, but you should treat this visit as essential rather than optional. On arrival, ask to meet the registered manager by name, watch how staff interact with residents in corridors and at mealtimes, ask about night staffing numbers, and request to see the activity schedule from last month. The checklist above lists 21 items that the inspection did not address: bring those questions with you.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Hazelwood Care Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Hazelwood Care Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where dementia care feels genuinely personal and thoughtful
Dedicated nursing home Support in Longfield
When someone you love needs dementia care, you want them somewhere that sees them as an individual, not just another resident. Hazelwood Care Home in Longfield creates that kind of environment — where staff take time to know residents properly and families feel genuinely welcomed as part of daily life. The care here goes beyond the basics, with thought given to keeping people engaged and comfortable.
Who they care for
Hazelwood specialises in dementia care for people over 65, with structured activities designed to keep residents engaged — music sessions, crafts, discussion groups, and visits from external volunteers.
The dementia care here includes practical touches that make a difference — a sensory room for calmer moments, activities pitched at the right level to maintain interest without frustration, and staff who understand how to respond when behaviour becomes difficult. Families mention seeing genuine improvements in mood and engagement after their relatives settle in.
“It's the kind of place where small details add up to something bigger — where caring for someone with dementia feels less overwhelming because you're not doing it alone.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Hazelwood Care Home has been rated Good across all five inspection domains, which is a meaningful improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. However, the published report text contains very little specific observational detail, so most scores sit in the 65-75 range reflecting confirmed positive ratings without the granular evidence needed to score higher.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families talk about how well their relatives settle in, even those who were anxious about leaving home. There's a real effort to help people feel at ease — staff learn residents' preferences and habits, and there's always something happening to keep spirits up. The atmosphere stays cheerful without feeling forced, and relatives say they're made to feel welcome whenever they visit.
What inspectors have recorded
The manager is hands-on and visible day-to-day, which seems to set the tone for the whole team. Staff stick around and build real relationships with residents, keeping that same warm approach even when dealing with challenging behaviour. When health issues come up, they coordinate well with doctors and visiting professionals, taking pressure off families trying to juggle multiple appointments.
How it sits against good practice
It's the kind of place where small details add up to something bigger — where caring for someone with dementia feels less overwhelming because you're not doing it alone.
Worth a visit
Hazelwood Care Home in Longfield, Kent was assessed in March 2025 and rated Good across all five inspection domains: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. This is a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating, which suggests meaningful progress under the current management team. The home provides nursing care for up to 50 adults over 65, with dementia listed as a specialism, and has a named registered manager in post. The main caution here is that the published report contains almost no specific observational detail, so it is not possible to verify what daily life actually looks like for your parent. A Good rating is genuinely positive, but you should treat this visit as essential rather than optional. On arrival, ask to meet the registered manager by name, watch how staff interact with residents in corridors and at mealtimes, ask about night staffing numbers, and request to see the activity schedule from last month. The checklist above lists 21 items that the inspection did not address: bring those questions with you.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Hazelwood Care Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Hazelwood Care Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where dementia care feels genuinely personal and thoughtful
Dedicated nursing home Support in Longfield
When someone you love needs dementia care, you want them somewhere that sees them as an individual, not just another resident. Hazelwood Care Home in Longfield creates that kind of environment — where staff take time to know residents properly and families feel genuinely welcomed as part of daily life. The care here goes beyond the basics, with thought given to keeping people engaged and comfortable.
Who they care for
Hazelwood specialises in dementia care for people over 65, with structured activities designed to keep residents engaged — music sessions, crafts, discussion groups, and visits from external volunteers.
The dementia care here includes practical touches that make a difference — a sensory room for calmer moments, activities pitched at the right level to maintain interest without frustration, and staff who understand how to respond when behaviour becomes difficult. Families mention seeing genuine improvements in mood and engagement after their relatives settle in.
Management & ethos
The manager is hands-on and visible day-to-day, which seems to set the tone for the whole team. Staff stick around and build real relationships with residents, keeping that same warm approach even when dealing with challenging behaviour. When health issues come up, they coordinate well with doctors and visiting professionals, taking pressure off families trying to juggle multiple appointments.
The home & environment
The building itself helps create a dignified environment — modern, clean spaces with en-suite rooms that residents can personalise with their own belongings. There's a sensory room, a cinema for film afternoons, and gardens to enjoy when the weather's nice. Food gets consistent praise too, with good variety and the option to arrange private dining for special family occasions.
“It's the kind of place where small details add up to something bigger — where caring for someone with dementia feels less overwhelming because you're not doing it alone.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
