South West Care Homes: Ashfield
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds25
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2023-02-08
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
When families arrive, management takes time to meet with visitors and discuss their loved ones' needs. Some visitors have noticed efforts to raise standards and create a more welcoming environment.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement65
- Food quality65
- Healthcare68
- Management & leadership75
- Resident happiness70
What inspectors found
Inspected 2023-02-08
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
Effective was rated Good at the November 2022 inspection. This domain covers care planning, staff training, nutrition, and healthcare access including GP involvement and medicine management. The home specialises in dementia care, which means inspectors would have looked at whether staff training reflected that specialism. The published report contains no specific detail about care plan quality, dementia training content, or how food and nutrition needs are managed.Is this home caring?
Caring was rated Good at the November 2022 inspection. This domain covers staff warmth, dignity, respect, and whether residents are treated as individuals. The Good rating means inspectors were satisfied that the standard of interaction they observed met requirements. The published report includes no direct quotes from residents or relatives, and no specific inspector observations about how staff spoke to or moved with residents.Is the home responsive?
Responsive was rated Good at the November 2022 inspection. This domain covers whether care is tailored to individual needs, whether activities are meaningful and varied, and whether complaints are handled well. For a dementia-specialist home, it also covers whether people with more advanced dementia receive individual engagement rather than being excluded from activity because they cannot join groups. The published report contains no detail about the activity programme, individual engagement, or complaints handling.Is the home well-led?
Well-led was rated Good at the November 2022 inspection. The home is registered to South West Care Homes Limited, with a named registered manager and a nominated individual in post at the time of the inspection. The previous rating was Inadequate, meaning the current Good rating in Well-led represents a substantial recovery. Good governance, staff culture, and accountability systems would need to have been demonstrated to inspectors for this domain to pass. The published report contains no detail about manager tenure, staffing stability, or how the service monitors quality on an ongoing basis.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home provides residential care for people over 65, with specific experience supporting those living with dementia. For residents with dementia, clear communication is especially important. Families considering Ashfield may want to ask about staff language skills and how the team ensures residents can be properly understood and supported. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Ashfield has recovered from an Inadequate rating to Good across all five domains, which is a significant and meaningful improvement. However, the published inspection text is brief and does not contain the specific observations, quotes, or detailed evidence that would push scores higher with confidence.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
When families arrive, management takes time to meet with visitors and discuss their loved ones' needs. Some visitors have noticed efforts to raise standards and create a more welcoming environment.
What inspectors have recorded
The management team engages directly with families and shows commitment to improvement. However, some families have raised concerns about training gaps and communication challenges among care staff, particularly for residents who need clear verbal interaction.
How it sits against good practice
If you're considering Ashfield, visiting in person will give you the clearest picture of whether it's the right fit for your family member.
Worth a visit
Ashfield, at 18 Windsor Square in Exmouth, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent inspection in November 2022, with the report published in February 2023. This is a genuinely significant result because the home was previously rated Inadequate, meaning inspectors found serious concerns at an earlier visit and then returned to find the home had addressed them well enough to achieve Good in every area. A named registered manager and nominated individual were in place at the time of the inspection. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection text is very brief and contains almost no specific evidence: no inspector observations, no resident or family quotes, and no detail about staffing, activities, food, or the physical environment. A Good rating tells you the home met the required standard, but it does not tell you what daily life is actually like for your parent. Before making a decision, visit in person, ask the manager to walk you through what changed after the Inadequate rating, and use the checklist questions below to fill the gaps the published report leaves open.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how South West Care Homes: Ashfield measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How South West Care Homes: Ashfield describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Working hard to improve care standards in Exmouth
Ashfield – Expert Care in Exmouth
Ashfield in Exmouth is navigating some challenges while supporting residents aged over 65, including those living with dementia. Recent feedback suggests the team is working to address concerns about consistency and standards. The home sits in the coastal town, caring for older adults who need residential support.
Who they care for
The home provides residential care for people over 65, with specific experience supporting those living with dementia.
For residents with dementia, clear communication is especially important. Families considering Ashfield may want to ask about staff language skills and how the team ensures residents can be properly understood and supported.
“If you're considering Ashfield, visiting in person will give you the clearest picture of whether it's the right fit for your family member.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Ashfield has recovered from an Inadequate rating to Good across all five domains, which is a significant and meaningful improvement. However, the published inspection text is brief and does not contain the specific observations, quotes, or detailed evidence that would push scores higher with confidence.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
When families arrive, management takes time to meet with visitors and discuss their loved ones' needs. Some visitors have noticed efforts to raise standards and create a more welcoming environment.
What inspectors have recorded
The management team engages directly with families and shows commitment to improvement. However, some families have raised concerns about training gaps and communication challenges among care staff, particularly for residents who need clear verbal interaction.
How it sits against good practice
If you're considering Ashfield, visiting in person will give you the clearest picture of whether it's the right fit for your family member.
Worth a visit
Ashfield, at 18 Windsor Square in Exmouth, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent inspection in November 2022, with the report published in February 2023. This is a genuinely significant result because the home was previously rated Inadequate, meaning inspectors found serious concerns at an earlier visit and then returned to find the home had addressed them well enough to achieve Good in every area. A named registered manager and nominated individual were in place at the time of the inspection. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection text is very brief and contains almost no specific evidence: no inspector observations, no resident or family quotes, and no detail about staffing, activities, food, or the physical environment. A Good rating tells you the home met the required standard, but it does not tell you what daily life is actually like for your parent. Before making a decision, visit in person, ask the manager to walk you through what changed after the Inadequate rating, and use the checklist questions below to fill the gaps the published report leaves open.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how South West Care Homes: Ashfield measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How South West Care Homes: Ashfield describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Working hard to improve care standards in Exmouth
Ashfield – Expert Care in Exmouth
Ashfield in Exmouth is navigating some challenges while supporting residents aged over 65, including those living with dementia. Recent feedback suggests the team is working to address concerns about consistency and standards. The home sits in the coastal town, caring for older adults who need residential support.
Who they care for
The home provides residential care for people over 65, with specific experience supporting those living with dementia.
For residents with dementia, clear communication is especially important. Families considering Ashfield may want to ask about staff language skills and how the team ensures residents can be properly understood and supported.
Management & ethos
The management team engages directly with families and shows commitment to improvement. However, some families have raised concerns about training gaps and communication challenges among care staff, particularly for residents who need clear verbal interaction.
“If you're considering Ashfield, visiting in person will give you the clearest picture of whether it's the right fit for your family member.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
