Care Homes in Bath

Bath has 16 CQC registered care homes. 12 are rated Good, 4 Requires improvement. 9 of the 16 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Planning and paying for a care home place in Bath

Arranging residential care in Bath tends to begin with a clear picture of the support your relative needs day to day, followed by an honest look at what the family can afford. Care Assura currently lists 16 residential care homes serving Bath, and understanding the funding routes early on makes it far easier to shortlist homes that suit both the person and the budget.

Requesting a care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need help with washing, dressing, medication, mobility or memory support has the right to a free care needs assessment. You can request one through Bath and North East Somerset Council Adult Social Care, who will arrange for a social worker or occupational therapist to visit. The assessment records what the person can manage alone and where they need support, and it forms the basis for any care plan that follows. A financial assessment usually takes place alongside it to work out how much the council will contribute.

How costs work in Bath

Weekly fees vary between homes depending on the size of the room, the level of personal care required and whether the property is a modern purpose built home or a converted period building. Residents with savings and assets above the upper capital limit generally pay their own fees, while those below it may receive help from the council once the financial assessment is complete. If the person owns a property, there are rules about when its value is included and when it is disregarded, and the council's team can explain how these apply to individual circumstances. It is worth asking each home whether their quoted fee includes chiropody, hairdressing, outings and any therapies.

Choosing a provider and what to check before you commit

Of the 16 residential care homes in Bath listed on Care Assura, 12 currently hold a Good rating from the Care Quality Commission and 4 are rated Requires Improvement. A rating is a useful starting point but it should never be the only factor. Visiting in person, ideally more than once and at different times of day, tells you far more about the atmosphere and staff culture than any inspection summary can.

Homes with a Good CQC rating

Springfield, Newbridge Hill, Watery Lane Cottage, 29 and 30 Dominion Road, Greystones, Ivybank House Care Home, Winfield Lodge, Dimensions Fountain House Innox Lane, Stratton House, Bath MIND at 82 Lower Oldfield Park, Dimensions Newton House and Oriel Lodge all currently hold a Good rating. Between them they cover a range of settings from smaller supported living style houses to larger established care homes, so it is worth reading the individual profiles to see which style feels most appropriate.

Homes rated Requires Improvement

Cleeve Court Community Resource Centre, Gallaudet Home, Ashley Phoenix Home and Manor Farm Residential Home are currently rated Requires Improvement. This does not mean a home should be ruled out, as ratings change and specific concerns may already have been addressed, but it does mean you should ask the manager directly what the inspection highlighted and what has been done since.

What to look for on a visit

Notice whether staff greet residents by name, whether communal areas feel lived in rather than empty, and whether the home smells fresh throughout rather than only near the entrance. Ask to see a sample menu, the activities programme for the current week and a typical care plan template. Talk to relatives of existing residents if you can, and pay attention to whether the manager answers difficult questions openly. Trust your instincts about how the person you love would feel spending their days there.

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