Highfield House

What families say

The friendliness here comes through in what families share about their experiences. People describe staff as approachable and welcoming, creating an atmosphere where both residents and visitors feel comfortable.

Based on 11 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 & leadership72
• Resident happiness68

What inspectors found

Inspected 2019-10-18 · Report published 2019-10-18 · Inspected 3 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The Safe domain was rated Good at the September 2019 inspection. This represents an improvement from the previous inspection where the home was rated Requires Improvement overall. The published report does not contain specific detail about what inspectors observed in relation to medicines management, staffing ratios, falls prevention, or infection control. As a nursing home with 67 beds caring for people with complex needs including dementia and Mental Health Act restrictions, the staffing and safety arrangements are particularly important to understand.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating for safety is reassuring, but the lack of published detail means you cannot rely on the inspection report alone to judge whether your parent will be physically safe here. Good Practice research consistently shows that night staffing is where safety most often slips in care homes, and that heavy reliance on agency staff undermines the consistency that people living with dementia depend on. The improvement from Requires Improvement is positive, but you need to establish for yourself what changed and whether those changes have held. Our review data shows that families most often raise safety concerns when they feel staff are stretched too thin to respond quickly to their parent's needs.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University rapid evidence review found that inconsistent staffing, particularly the use of agency workers unfamiliar with individual residents, is one of the strongest predictors of avoidable safety incidents in care homes supporting people with dementia.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota for the past week, not a template. Count how many permanent staff versus agency staff covered night shifts, and confirm whether a qualified nurse is on site overnight every night for all 67 residents."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The Effective domain was rated Good at the September 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether staff have the right training, whether care plans are detailed and regularly reviewed, whether residents have good access to healthcare professionals, and whether food and nutrition needs are met. The published report does not include specific detail on any of these areas for Highfield House. The home's registration includes both dementia care and care for people under the Mental Health Act, which requires staff with specialist knowledge and skills.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good rating for effectiveness means inspectors were satisfied that the basics were in place, but without specific published evidence you cannot tell how detailed care plans are or how well staff understand your parent's individual needs. Good Practice research highlights that care plans work best when they are treated as living documents, updated regularly with family input, and used actively by staff day to day rather than filed and forgotten. If your parent has dementia, ask specifically what dementia training staff have completed and how recently. Food quality is often a reliable signal of how well a home genuinely knows its residents: ask to visit at a mealtime and see whether choices are offered and preferences are known.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base identifies regular GP access, up-to-date dementia training for all care staff (not just senior staff), and care plans that capture life history and personal preferences as the three strongest markers of effective dementia care in a residential setting.","watch_out":"Ask to see an example care plan (anonymised if necessary) and check whether it includes the person's preferred name, daily routine, food preferences, and life history. Ask how often care plans are reviewed and whether families are routinely invited to contribute."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The Caring domain was rated Good at the September 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether staff treat residents with warmth, whether dignity and privacy are respected, and whether residents are supported to maintain as much independence as possible. The published report does not include inspector observations of staff interactions, resident testimony about how they feel treated, or specific examples of dignity-preserving practice. The absence of published detail is a limitation, not a sign of poor care.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of family satisfaction in our review data, mentioned in 57.3% of positive reviews, and compassion and dignity come close behind at 55.2%. These are the things families notice immediately on a first visit and continue to value most throughout their parent's time in a home. Because the inspection report gives no specific observational detail here, you will need to form your own view. Watch how staff address your parent when you visit: do they use their preferred name, do they make eye contact, do they move without hurry? Good Practice research shows that non-verbal communication matters as much as words for people living with dementia, and that feeling unhurried and acknowledged is fundamental to wellbeing.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence review found that person-led care, defined as staff knowing and consistently using individual preferences, names, routines, and life history, produces measurable improvements in the wellbeing and behaviour of people living with dementia compared with task-focused care approaches.","watch_out":"During your visit, notice how staff address your parent or other residents in corridors and communal spaces. Do they use preferred names, make eye contact, and pause to engage rather than walking past? If you observe staff rushing interactions or using generic terms rather than names, raise it directly with the manager."}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"The Responsive domain was rated Good at the September 2019 inspection. This domain covers whether the home provides meaningful activities, whether it responds to individual needs and preferences, and whether end-of-life care is planned in advance. The published report does not describe the activity programme, give examples of how individual preferences are accommodated, or reference end-of-life planning arrangements. The home is registered for 67 beds and cares for people with dementia, which makes the question of individual engagement particularly important.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Our review data shows that 27.1% of positive family reviews mention residents appearing content and engaged as a key reason for their satisfaction, and 21.4% specifically mention activities. For people living with dementia, research is clear that meaningful activity is not optional: it directly affects mood, behaviour, and physical health. Group activities alone are not enough, particularly for people with more advanced dementia who may not be able to participate. Ask specifically what happens for your parent if they cannot or will not join a group session. The Good Practice evidence base highlights that everyday tasks such as folding, watering plants, or helping lay the table can be as beneficial as formal activity sessions when they connect to a person's previous life.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University review found that Montessori-based and individualised activity approaches, including meaningful household tasks tailored to a person's life history, produced significantly better engagement and reduced distressed behaviour in people living with dementia compared with group-only activity programmes.","watch_out":"Ask to see the activity records for the past two weeks, not just the planned timetable. Check whether individual residents are recorded as having had one-to-one engagement on days when no group activity took place, and ask what is offered to your parent if they cannot join a group."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The Well-led domain was rated Good at the September 2019 inspection. A named registered manager is recorded in the inspection report. The home is operated by Haven Care Centres Limited. The improvement from Requires Improvement to Good across all domains suggests that leadership took identified concerns seriously and made the changes needed to satisfy inspectors. The published report does not describe the management culture, staff morale, or the governance systems in place. The inspection was conducted in September 2019, which means the findings are now several years old.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Management stability is one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time. Good Practice research shows that homes with consistent, visible leadership maintain quality more reliably than those with frequent manager changes or unclear accountability. The fact that this home improved from Requires Improvement to Good is genuinely encouraging, but the inspection is from 2019 and a great deal can change over five or more years: managers move on, staff teams change, and occupancy pressures affect culture. Before choosing this home, ask how long the current registered manager has been in post. Ask how staff are supported to raise concerns, and whether there have been any significant staffing or leadership changes recently. A manager who is known by name to residents and staff, and who can be found on the floor rather than in an office, is the clearest sign of healthy leadership.","evidence_base":"The Good Practice evidence base identifies leadership continuity and a culture where staff feel safe to raise concerns without fear as the two factors most strongly associated with sustained quality improvement in care homes, particularly those caring for people with complex needs.","watch_out":"Ask the manager directly how long they have been in post at Highfield House and whether there have been significant changes to the senior team in the past two years. Then ask one or two care staff, separately, whether they feel comfortable raising a concern about a resident's care with management."}

  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 Highfield House cares for adults both under and over 65, including those living with dementia. They're also equipped to support people whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.. Gaps or open questions remain on While the home lists dementia care as one of their specialisms, families haven't shared specific details about their approach. You might want to ask about their dementia care practices when you visit. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.