Don Thomson House Residential Care Home

Low Road, Dovercourt, Harwich, Essex, CO12 3TS

01255240978

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

25 January 2018

Provider

Sanctuary Care Limited

Beds

28 beds

About Don Thomson House Residential Care Home

Don Thomson House is a residential care home in Essex, offering accommodation and personal care for older people, including those living with dementia. The details below set out what the CQC found on its most recent visit.

Don Thomson House is a 28-bed care home for older people, including those living with dementia, located in a purpose-built building in Dovercourt, Harwich. The home is set over two floors in a large detached property situated in a residential area close to local amenities and the seafront. The home provides accommodation alongside nursing and personal care for residents who may be privately funded or supported by local and health authorities.

Source: CQC inspection report, 16 March 2018

Specialist Care

DementiaOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesSensory impairments

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: 28 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · CO12 3TS

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Dementia; Physical disabilities; Sensory impairment.

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 16 March 2018. Latest inspection date recorded: 25 January 2018.

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

Read Don Thomson House Residential Care Home'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 Don Thomson House Residential Care Home, 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 Don Thomson House Residential Care Home, 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 Don Thomson House Residential Care Home'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