Colne House

Station Road, Earls Colne, Colchester, Essex, CO6 2LT

01787222227

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

12 April 2022

Provider

Althea Healthcare Properties Limited

Beds

38 beds

How this home compares nearby

Of 5 care homes for older people within 5 miles, none are rated higher by CQC, 3 are the same and 2 are lower.

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

Based on CQC ratings, updated 22 October 2026. How we compare homes | See the nearby homes

Rating history

GoodDec 2016
GoodJun 2019
Requires ImprovementApr 2021
GoodApr 2022

Improved from Requires Improvement to Good in 2022. CQC has rated this home 4 times since 2016.

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

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Althea Healthcare Properties Limited, which runs 5 care homes in England: 5 rated Good.

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 Colne House

Colne House is a residential care home in Essex, providing personal care for older people. The findings below set out what the CQC most recently observed there.

Colne House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 38 older people, including those with mental health needs and dementia. At the time of inspection, 30 residents were living in the converted building and its annex. The home offers a homely atmosphere where residents reported feeling happy with the support they receive.

One resident praised the staff's friendly approach, saying "All the staff got a general sense of humour…can have a laugh and a joke and affection," while another simply described them as "Very nice. " Staff supported residents to maintain their wellbeing and safety, including ensuring they received their medicines as prescribed.

Source: CQC inspection report, 30 April 2022

Specialist Care

DementiaMental healthOlder peopleYounger adults

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: 38 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · CO6 2LT

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Dementia; Mental health conditions.

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 30 April 2022. Latest inspection date recorded: 12 April 2022.

Safe: Good
EffectivePublished 19 June 2019: Good
CaringPublished 19 June 2019: Good
ResponsivePublished 19 June 2019: Good
Well-led: Good

Read Colne 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 Colne 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 Colne 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 Colne 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