Ashgate House
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 beds47
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Caring for adults under 65 yrs, Dementia, Mental health conditions
- Last inspected2023-03-08
- Visit Website
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Based on 14 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement60
- Food quality60
- Healthcare68
- Management & leadership75
- Resident happiness68
What inspectors found
Inspected 2023-03-08 · Report published 2023-03-08 · Inspected 7 times in the last three years
Is this home safe?
{"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the January 2023 inspection. This covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, and how the home responds to accidents and incidents. No specific detail about staffing numbers, agency use, or falls management is included in the published summary. The improvement from a previous Inadequate rating suggests that earlier safety concerns have been addressed. The home supports adults with dementia and mental health conditions, which means safe, consistent staffing matters especially here.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Safety is the foundation of everything else, and the fact that this home moved from Inadequate to Good in the Safe domain tells you that real improvements were made. However, the published report does not give you the specific detail you need to feel confident: there are no staffing ratios, no information about how many agency staff cover shifts, and no description of how the home manages falls or medicines at night. Our Good Practice evidence base highlights that night staffing is where safety most commonly slips in care homes, particularly on dementia units. You cannot assess this from the report alone, so a direct conversation with the manager about overnight cover is essential before you decide.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University rapid evidence review (March 2026) found that night staffing ratios and agency staff reliance are two of the strongest predictors of safety incidents in care homes supporting people with dementia. A Good rating does not confirm adequate night cover; it must be verified directly.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota from last week, not a template. Ask specifically: how many permanent carers and how many agency staff were on the night shift, and what is the minimum number of staff on the dementia unit after 10pm for 47 beds?"}
Is the care effective?
{"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good. This domain covers staff training, care planning, healthcare access, and nutrition. Dementia is listed as a registered specialism for the home, which means inspectors would expect dementia-specific training and care planning to be in place. No specific detail about training content, how often care plans are reviewed, or how GP access is arranged is included in the published summary. The Good rating indicates these areas met the required standard at the time of inspection.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating for Effective means inspectors were satisfied that the home knows what it is doing, but the published findings do not tell you how well dementia-specific practice is embedded day to day. Our review data shows that dementia-specific care (cited in 12.7% of positive family reviews) and food quality (cited in 20.9%) are among the themes families value most. Neither is described in specific terms here. The Good Practice evidence base confirms that care plans should function as living documents, updated with the family after any significant change in health or behaviour. You have no way to verify this from the published report, so ask the manager directly how often your parent's care plan would be reviewed and whether you would be involved.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research rapid evidence review found that regular family inclusion in care plan reviews is associated with better outcomes for people with dementia, and that the quality and frequency of GP access is a key marker of whether effective care is being delivered rather than simply documented.","watch_out":"Ask the manager: how often are care plans formally reviewed, and can I attend that review? Also ask what dementia training staff complete, who delivers it, and when the last training session was held."}
Is this home caring?
{"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good. This domain covers how staff interact with residents, whether dignity and privacy are respected, and whether people feel treated as individuals. No inspector observations, resident quotes, or relative comments are included in the published summary for this home. A Good rating in Caring is among the most meaningful outcomes for families, but without specific examples it is difficult to describe what daily interactions look like here.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of positive family reviews in our data: 57.3% of positive Google reviews across more than 5,000 UK care homes mention it by name. Compassion and dignity come second at 55.2%. These are not abstract qualities; they show up in very specific behaviours: whether staff knock before entering a room, whether they use your parent's preferred name, whether they sit down to talk rather than standing over someone. The inspection rated Caring as Good, which is encouraging, but the published report gives you no observations to rely on. Observe these things yourself on a visit, particularly how staff interact with residents in communal areas when they do not know they are being watched.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base (IFF Research, March 2026) identifies non-verbal communication as equally important as verbal communication in dementia care. Staff who crouch to eye level, maintain calm body language, and avoid rushing are associated with lower distress in residents with dementia, even when verbal communication is limited.","watch_out":"During your visit, spend time in a communal area and watch how staff approach your parent's future neighbours. Do they use names? Do they sit down? Do they appear unhurried? These behaviours are more reliable indicators than anything staff tell you in a formal meeting."}
Is the home responsive?
{"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Good. This domain covers whether the home provides activities tailored to individuals, responds to complaints, supports people at the end of life, and treats residents as individuals with their own histories and preferences. No specific information about the activities programme, individual engagement, or end-of-life planning is included in the published summary. The home supports people with dementia and mental health conditions, for whom meaningful daily activity is particularly important.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Resident happiness (27.1% of positive family reviews) and activities engagement (21.4%) are both strongly linked to how well a home meets individual preferences rather than running a one-size-fits-all programme. Our Good Practice evidence review highlights that tailored, individual activities, including everyday tasks like folding laundry or tending plants, are more beneficial for people with dementia than group activities alone. The published inspection tells you that Responsive was rated Good but gives you no picture of what a typical day looks like for your parent. Ask to see an actual activity schedule from last week, not a printed template, and ask what happens for residents who cannot join group sessions.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research rapid evidence review found that Montessori-based and occupation-focused approaches, where residents engage in purposeful everyday tasks rather than passive entertainment, are associated with reduced distress and improved wellbeing in people with dementia, including those at more advanced stages.","watch_out":"Ask the activities coordinator to show you last week's actual activity log, not the planned schedule. Then ask specifically: if my parent finds group sessions difficult or distressing, how would staff engage with them one to one during the day and in the evening?"}
Is the home well-led?
{"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good. A named registered manager, Ms Sharron Louise Roberts, and a nominated individual, Mr Brian Rosenburg, are both recorded as being in post. The home's improvement from a previous Inadequate rating to Good across all domains is a strong indicator that leadership has been effective in identifying and addressing problems. No specific detail about management culture, staff empowerment, governance processes, or how the home handles complaints is included in the published summary.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Management leadership accounts for 23.4% of the positive themes in our family review data. Families who are satisfied with a home frequently mention that the manager is visible, approachable, and responsive when something goes wrong. The trajectory here, from Inadequate to Good, is genuinely meaningful: it takes sustained leadership effort to turn around serious inspection failures across all five domains. Our Good Practice evidence base identifies leadership stability as one of the strongest predictors of continued quality. What you cannot tell from this report is how long the current manager has been in post, whether staff feel able to raise concerns, or how families are kept informed when things change. These are worth asking directly.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research rapid evidence review (March 2026) found that leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of quality trajectory in care homes. Homes that have experienced recent management turnover are at higher risk of quality decline, even where a previous inspection was positive.","watch_out":"Ask the registered manager directly: how long have you been in this role, and how long have most of your senior care staff been here? Also ask: if I had a concern about my parent's care, what would happen if I raised it, and who would I speak to if I felt the manager had not resolved it?"}
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The team at Ashgate House has experience caring for adults under 65 with complex needs, as well as older residents. They provide specialised support for people living with mental health conditions alongside their dementia care services.. Gaps or open questions remain on The home welcomes residents living with dementia, with staff who understand the importance of getting to know each person's life story and interests. This helps them create meaningful connections through personalised activities and conversations. — 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
Ashgate House Care Home scores 72 out of 100, reflecting a solid Good rating across all five inspection domains and a significant improvement from a previous Inadequate rating. The published inspection report contains limited specific detail, so several scores are based on general positive findings rather than direct observations or resident testimony.
Homes in East Midlands typically score 68–82.Worth a visit
Ashgate House Care Home, on Ashgate Road in Chesterfield, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its last inspection in January 2023. This is a meaningful result because the home had previously held an Inadequate rating, meaning inspectors found serious concerns at an earlier visit and the home worked to resolve them. A return to Good across every domain is a positive sign of recovery and management accountability. The main limitation for families reading this report is that the published summary contains very little specific detail about day-to-day life in the home. There are no recorded observations, resident or relative quotes, or specific examples of care practice to draw on. This means the score here reflects the rating outcome rather than rich evidence of what it actually feels like to live at Ashgate House. Before making a decision, visit the home in person, ask to see last week's staffing rota, speak to a resident or family member if possible, and ask the manager directly about night staffing numbers, agency staff use, and how dementia care is delivered on the unit.
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In Their Own Words
How Ashgate House describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Specialised mental health and dementia support in Chesterfield
Ashgate House Care Home – Expert Care in Chesterfield
Finding the right care for complex needs takes careful consideration. Ashgate House Care Home in Chesterfield provides support for adults of all ages, including those living with dementia and mental health conditions. The home offers 24-hour nursing care in the East Midlands region.
Who they care for
The team at Ashgate House has experience caring for adults under 65 with complex needs, as well as older residents. They provide specialised support for people living with mental health conditions alongside their dementia care services.
The home welcomes residents living with dementia, with staff who understand the importance of getting to know each person's life story and interests. This helps them create meaningful connections through personalised activities and conversations.
“Visiting in person can help you get a feel for whether Ashgate House might suit your loved one's specific needs.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
