- Residential substance misuse service
Primrose Lodge
We served a warning notice on Blue Skies Addiction Centre Ltd on 17 October 2025 for failing to ensure that the care and treatment of clients who used the service received safe care and treatment. We identified that clients were not seen face to face in person as part of the initial assessment process, the service did not corroborate information from a client’s own doctor regarding their medical history and staff performed physical health observations on clients that were beyond their skills and experience. This put clients at significant risk of harm as they may not receive the correct care and treatment required at Primrose Lodge.
Report from 28 January 2026 assessment
Contents
Ratings - Residential substance misuse services
Our view of the service
An inspection of Primrose Lodge took place on 10 and 11 September 2025 using our Single Assessment Framework. We undertook this inspection following information of concern we had received and decided to assess if the service was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.
Primrose Lodge is an 18-bed mixed gender facility providing medically monitored residential detoxification and psychosocial group work treatment for clients with a primary addiction to drugs or alcohol. All clients are funded privately and self-refer. At the time of inspection there were 13 clients receiving treatment at the service.
Primrose Lodge is operated by Blue Skies Addiction Centre Ltd, part of the UK Addiction Treatment Services (UKAT) network. Primrose Lodge was registered with CQC in February 2017 to deliver the regulated activities: Accommodation for persons who require treatment for substance misuse and Treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The service had a Registered Manager.
Primrose Lodge was last inspected in 2019 and rated good overall and in all 5 domains.
At this assessment we identified a breach of regulation 12 Safe Care and Treatment. At times the service had accepted clients into treatment that were too high risk for them to be safely managed in a medically monitored rehabilitation service that had no doctors or clinicians on site. Decisions to prescribe detoxification medicines were made without sufficient supporting information about the client’s medical history and the safety of proceeding with detoxification. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
In instances where CQC has begun a process of regulatory action, we may publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded, if the action has been taken forward.
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary
Mental Health Act
Primrose Lodge did not admit people detained under the Mental Health Act.
Mental Capacity Act
The service provided care for clients who could consent to treatment. Staff supported clients to make decisions on their care for themselves and recorded capacity to consent. They knew where to get accurate advice on the Mental Capacity Act.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 10 people using the service and 2 relatives. People using the service told us that staff were very caring and welcoming. They valued having people with lived experience of addiction and recovery providing their care. They felt that the clear structure the service provided was very beneficial in supporting their recovery.
Clients gave consistently positive feedback about the service in exit surveys and online reviews. They were very grateful for the care and support they received at the service and felt the therapeutic programme gave them the tools and skills they needed to make positive changes in their lives and move forward with their recovery.
Relatives also gave positive feedback about the service and communication from staff.