Abbotsford Residential Care Home Limited

What families say

People describe finding professional staff who pay attention to individual needs. The team involves families in care decisions and keeps communication channels open.

Based on 12 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth72
• Compassion & dignity72
• Cleanliness65
• Activities & engagement55
• Food quality55
• Healthcare65
• Management & leadership75
• Resident happiness65

What inspectors found

Inspected 2022-07-07 · Report published 2022-07-07 · Inspected 5 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the June 2022 inspection, representing an improvement from the previous Requires Improvement rating. This domain covers staffing levels, medicines management, infection control, and how the home responds to safeguarding concerns. The published inspection text does not record specific observations about staffing ratios, medicines administration, or falls management. The improvement from the previous rating indicates that earlier concerns in this area have been addressed to the inspector's satisfaction. No outstanding safety concerns are noted in the published findings.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A move from Requires Improvement to Good in the Safe domain is the most meaningful change in this inspection. It suggests the home identified and fixed whatever was falling short before. That said, Good Practice research consistently highlights that safety risks are highest on night shifts, where staffing is thinnest. The published findings give no information about how many staff are on duty overnight for the 28 beds, which is a significant gap for a home that supports people with dementia. Families in our review data mention staff attentiveness as a key safety signal: if staff notice quickly when something is wrong, your parent is safer. You cannot assess this from the inspection text alone.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that night staffing levels are among the strongest predictors of safety incidents in residential care. Homes with consistent permanent staff at night have significantly lower rates of unwitnessed falls and delayed responses to deterioration.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota for a recent week, not the template. Count how many permanent carers (not agency) were on duty overnight, and ask what the minimum safe staffing level is for the night shift across the 28 beds."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good at the June 2022 inspection. This domain covers care planning, dementia-specific training, nutrition and hydration, and access to healthcare. Dementia is listed as a specialism, which implies a requirement for staff trained in dementia care approaches. The published inspection text does not describe specific training programmes, care plan content, food quality, or how frequently GP input is sought. The Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with the overall standard of care delivery.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"For a home that lists dementia as a specialism, the quality of care planning matters enormously. Good Practice research from the 61-study evidence review found that care plans function best as living documents, updated regularly and shaped by families who know the person well. The inspection gives you no detail on whether your parent's plan would be reviewed with your involvement or how often. Food quality is also a significant family concern, mentioned in roughly one in five positive reviews in our data set, but the inspection text contains nothing specific about meals, choice, or dietary support. These are gaps you need to fill by asking directly during a visit.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett evidence review found that dementia-specific training which covers non-verbal communication and behaviour as a form of expression, rather than generic care training, leads to measurably better outcomes for people with advanced dementia in residential settings.","watch_out":"Ask to see the most recent care plan for a current resident (anonymised if needed) and check whether it records the person's life history, preferred name, food preferences, and communication style. Ask how recently it was reviewed and whether the family was involved."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the June 2022 inspection. This domain covers how staff treat residents, whether dignity and privacy are respected, and whether people are supported to maintain independence. The published inspection text provides no specific observations about staff interactions, use of preferred names, or how staff respond when residents are distressed. The Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with the overall caring culture. No concerns about dignity or respect are recorded.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of family satisfaction in our review data, mentioned in 57.3% of positive reviews across more than 5,400 homes. Compassion and dignity come a close second at 55.2%. These are the things families notice immediately on a visit and remember long after. The inspection gives you no specific examples of warm interactions here, which makes your own observation essential. Good Practice evidence shows that non-verbal communication matters as much as verbal: watch whether staff make eye contact, crouch to speak at a resident's level, and move without hurry. These small signals tell you more than any rating.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research rapid evidence review found that person-centred care in dementia depends on staff knowing each individual's personal history, preferences, and communication style. Homes where staff can describe a resident as a person rather than a diagnosis consistently score higher on wellbeing measures.","watch_out":"When you visit, walk through a communal area and notice whether staff use residents' preferred names, whether conversations look unhurried, and whether anyone who appears distressed receives a calm and immediate response. These are things you can observe without asking a single question."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Good at the June 2022 inspection. This domain covers whether the home provides activities that are meaningful to individuals, how it handles complaints, and whether it plans for end-of-life care. The published inspection text contains no specific information about the activity programme, one-to-one engagement for people who cannot join groups, or how end-of-life preferences are recorded. The Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with the home's responsiveness to individual needs.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Activities and engagement account for 21.4% of positive reviews in our family data, and resident happiness overall is cited in 27.1%. For a parent with dementia, a varied and individually tailored activity offer can make a real difference to mood, behaviour, and overall wellbeing. Good Practice research highlights that group activities alone are not sufficient: people with advanced dementia often need one-to-one engagement, which requires staff time and intention. The inspection gives no detail about what a typical day looks like here. Ask for the actual activity schedule, not the planned one, and ask specifically what happens for residents who cannot join group sessions.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett evidence review found that Montessori-based approaches and everyday household tasks, such as folding, watering plants, or simple cooking, provide meaningful engagement for people with advanced dementia and reduce anxiety more effectively than structured group activities alone.","watch_out":"Ask to see the activity log from the past two weeks, not the planned schedule. Then ask what was arranged specifically for residents who did not or could not attend group sessions during that period."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good at the June 2022 inspection, having previously been rated Requires Improvement. The home has a named registered manager and a nominated individual recorded with the regulator. The improvement in leadership is significant because Well-led ratings often drive the quality of all other domains. The published inspection text does not describe specific governance processes, how staff are supported to raise concerns, or how the home learns from incidents and complaints. The July 2023 monitoring review found no evidence to trigger a reassessment of the Good rating.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Leadership stability is one of the strongest predictors of sustained quality in care homes, according to the Good Practice evidence base. A home that moved its Well-led rating from Requires Improvement to Good has done something real, but the inspection text does not tell you how long the current manager has been in post, whether staff feel able to speak up, or how the home communicates with families when things change. Communication with families is mentioned in 11.5% of positive reviews in our data. Ask the manager directly how they keep families informed and what happens when a concern is raised. The answer will tell you as much about the culture as any inspection rating.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research evidence review found that leadership stability, specifically a manager who has been in post for more than 12 months and is visible on the floor rather than office-bound, is one of the strongest single predictors of consistent quality across all other domains.","watch_out":"Ask the manager how long they have been in their current post, and ask how staff can raise a concern if they are worried about a resident's care. Then ask the same question of a member of care staff during your visit and compare the answers."}

  Verified by inspector

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 home cares for adults across different age groups, supporting those under 65 as well as older residents. They provide specialist care for people living with dementia and those with mental health conditions.. Gaps or open questions remain on For residents living with dementia, the structured activity programme helps maintain engagement through familiar pastimes. The team works to understand each person's individual needs and preferences. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.