England

Blackbrook HouseEssex

Illustrative image. Photographs of this home have not yet been added.

Rated:GoodResidential

Blackbrook House

Gun Hill, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6HP

01206321150

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

6 December 2019

Provider

Anchor Hanover Group

Beds

55 beds

How this home compares nearby

Of 8 care homes for older people within 5 miles, none are rated higher by CQC, 5 are the same and 3 are lower.

6 of these nearby homes have been inspected more recently than this one.

Based on CQC ratings, updated 24 October 2026. How we compare homes | See the nearby homes

Rating history

GoodMay 2017
GoodJan 2020

Rated Good at every inspection since 2017.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Anchor Hanover Group, which runs 121 care homes in England: 3 rated Outstanding, 99 Good, 17 Requires Improvement and 2 not yet rated.

Average care home fees in the East of England: £1,034 a week for residential care and £1,411 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

This home lists dementia care, which usually costs more than standard residential care. See dementia care home costs. NHS Continuing Healthcare may apply where someone's needs are primarily health needs.
How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About Blackbrook House

Blackbrook House is a residential care home in Essex, providing personal care for older people, including support for those living with dementia. Details of the most recent CQC findings are set out below.

Blackbrook House provides personal care for up to 55 people aged 65 and over, currently supporting 45 residents across two wings. Munnings wing specialises in care for people living with dementia. The environment is clean and comfortable, and there are enough competent staff to support people safely according to their needs and preferences.

People and their relatives were complimentary about the care provided.

However, risk assessments were not always effective in ensuring people were kept safe, and some improvement was required in the management of medicines. Staff demonstrated an understanding of how to recognise and report issues of concern.

Source: CQC inspection report, 18 January 2020

Specialist Care

DementiaOlder people

Facilities & Amenities

Activities ProgrammeWiFiWheelchair AccessibleCommunal Lounge

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 55 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · CO7 6HP

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Dementia.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Rating report published 18 January 2020. Latest inspection date recorded: 6 December 2019.

Safe: Requires improvement
Effective: Good
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Good

Questions prompted by these ratings

Safe: What changes have been made to medicines, staffing and safeguarding since this rating?

These are questions for your visit, not a claim about conditions today.

Read Blackbrook House's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Blackbrook House, consider asking...

1.What specific dementia training do staff receive and how recently?
2.How do you support a resident who becomes distressed or confused?
3.How does the home keep a record of a resident's life history and personal preferences?
4.How do you involve families as dementia progresses and communication becomes harder?
5.What happens when a resident's dementia reaches an advanced stage?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Blackbrook House, look out for...

1.Is the environment calm, uncluttered and easy to navigate?
2.Do staff speak to residents with patience and dignity, even if they repeat themselves?
3.Are there memory cues around the home -- photos, familiar objects, clear signage?
4.Do residents seem settled and safe, or agitated and unsupervised?
5.Is there meaningful activity happening, or are residents just sitting quietly with nothing to do?

Could the NHS fund Blackbrook House's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees