Nursing Homes in Rochester
Rochester has 6 CQC registered nursing homes. 3 are rated Good, 3 Requires improvement. 3 of the 6 were last inspected more than three years ago.
Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.
Rochester at a glance
What the local numbers say about care for older people in Rochester, to help you judge the options below.
- Medway Council pays, residential care: £875 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,500 to £1,809, median £1,600
- Care home beds filled across Medway: 90%. The 12 month average is 87%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 64
- People aged 75 and over: 23,900. Rising to 26,900 by 2035, up 13%
- Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 2 closed
- Who pays, across Medway (estimate): 51% council, 28% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 3,100. Rising to 3,700 by 2035, up 21%
- People aged 85 and over: 5,800. Rising to 8,500 by 2035, up 47%
Planned and recent building work within 5 miles
- Land South Of Innovation Centre Medway Maidstone Road Chatham Medway. Application for a 80 bed care home. Submitted 1 July 2026. Decision not yet recorded. (1.2 miles away)
- Land Adjacent To 419 Walderslade Road Walderslade Chatham Medway. Application for a 35 bed nursing home. Submitted 16 June 2026. Decision not yet recorded. (2.1 miles away)
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.
Choosing Between the Nursing Homes in Rochester
Confirming that nursing is what is needed
The difference between a nursing home and a residential one is clinical rather than a matter of comfort, and it is worth settling before any visit. A nursing registration means a registered nurse is on duty on the premises, which is what permits a home to manage wound care, catheters, feeding tubes, unstable conditions and medication given by injection. Where none of that is required, a residential care home may suit better and generally costs less.
What the spread of grades means
Four of the six are rated Good and two carry Requires Improvement. No home on this list has been judged Outstanding. With a third marked down, the reports matter more than usual: open each one, identify which of the five key questions fell short, note when the inspection happened, and look for evidence of what the provider did in response. A recent shortfall in staffing or safety deserves considerably more weight than an older one on paperwork.
What to establish on a visit
Ask how many registered nurses are on duty on a weekday, at a weekend and overnight, and ask it as a question about numbers rather than policy. Ask how much of the nursing rota is filled by agency staff, because heavy agency use tells you more about a home than its furnishings do. Ask what happens when a resident deteriorates at night and who decides whether to call for medical help.
Arranging and Funding Nursing Care in Rochester
Starting with the assessment
A care needs assessment is free, is not means tested, and produces the written account of need that homes and funders both rely on. Request it as soon as nursing care is under discussion, since arranging it takes time and no funding decision can be made without it.
What the council does
Assessments and funded social care rest with Medway Council Adult Social Care, which will also assess a family carer's own needs where asked. A financial assessment of income and capital is carried out separately, against thresholds set nationally rather than locally, so ask for the figures in force this year rather than relying on remembered ones.
The nursing element of the fee
Nursing home fees generally exceed residential ones because of the staffing they require. Where somebody is assessed as needing care from a registered nurse, a contribution towards that element may be met by the health service rather than by the council or the family, and it is assessed separately from social care funding. Ask how that contribution appears on the invoice and what is charged above the weekly rate.
6 nursing homes in Rochester
- Copper Beeches · Rochester, Medway · CQC Good
- Frindsbury Hall Care Home · Rochester, Medway · CQC Requires improvement
- Valley View Care Home · Rochester, Medway · CQC Requires improvement
- Friston House · Rochester, Medway · CQC Good
- Ampersand · Rochester, Medway · CQC Requires improvement
- Winchester House · Rochester, Kent · CQC Good
What care costs in Medway, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 107 homes. Median £1,600. | £875 | £1,500 to £1,809 |
| Nursing care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 63 homes. Median £1,933. | £1,126 | £1,617 to £2,080 |
| Residential dementia care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 82 homes. Median £1,709. | Not published separately | £1,571 to £1,942 |
| Nursing dementia care South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 37 homes. Median £2,050. | Not published separately | £1,975 to £2,226 |
Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.
Inspected most recently
- Copper Beeches, 3 August 2026, Good
- Frindsbury Hall Care Home, 24 June 2026, Requires improvement
- Ampersand, 30 April 2024, Requires improvement
Longest since a report
- Friston House, 5 September 2018, Good
- Valley View Care Home Ltd, 21 December 2019, Requires improvement
- Winchester House, 20 August 2021, Good
Frequently asked questions about nursing homes in Rochester
How many nursing homes are there in Rochester?
Rochester has 6 CQC registered nursing homes: 3 Good, 3 Requires improvement. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.
How much does a nursing home cost in Rochester?
Medway Council pays an average of £875 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,500 to £1,809 a week. South East figure, because too few Medway homes publish this price. 107 homes. Median £1,600. Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.
Which nursing homes in Rochester were inspected most recently?
Copper Beeches (3 August 2026), Frindsbury Hall Care Home (24 June 2026) and Ampersand (30 April 2024) have the most recent CQC reports.