England

The FirsHampshire

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

Rated:GoodResidential

The Firs

83 Church Road, Locks Heath, Southampton, Hampshire, SO31 6LS

01489574624

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

21 June 2022

Provider

Caldwell Care Limited

Beds

22 beds

How this home compares nearby

Of 41 care homes for older people within 5 miles, 2 are rated higher by CQC, 31 are the same and 8 are lower.

25 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

Requires ImprovementMar 2015
Requires ImprovementJun 2015
Requires ImprovementOct 2015
Requires ImprovementSept 2016
GoodNov 2017
Requires ImprovementFeb 2021
Requires ImprovementJan 2022
GoodJul 2022

Improved from Requires Improvement to Good in 2022. CQC has rated this home 8 times since 2015.

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

Costs and who runs this home

This is the only care home Caldwell Care Limited runs in England.

Average care home fees in the South East: £1,243 a week for residential care and £1,579 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 The Firs

The Firs is a residential care home in Hampshire, offering accommodation without nursing care to older people, including those living with dementia. Details of the CQC's most recent findings are set out below.

The Firs accommodates up to 22 people in a care home without nursing. The service provides accommodation across two floors with lift and stair access, and some rooms are ensuite. The home is surrounded by an accessible mature garden with patio seating areas.

Some residents live with dementia.

Safety has improved significantly at the service. Risk assessments to protect people have been enhanced, and robust staff recruitment checks are in place. Staffing levels are sufficient to meet residents' needs.

The manager is implementing best practice guidance for safe medicines management, and cleaning records have been improved to ensure appropriate documentation of hygiene standards.

Source: CQC inspection report, 7 July 2022

Specialist Care

DementiaMental healthOlder people

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 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 22 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · SO31 6LS

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 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 7 July 2022. Latest inspection date recorded: 21 June 2022.

Safe: Good
EffectivePublished 9 November 2017: Good
CaringPublished 9 November 2017: Good
ResponsivePublished 9 November 2017: Good
Well-led: Good

Read The Firs'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 The Firs, 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 The Firs, 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 The Firs'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