Cherwood House
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Nursing homes, Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds119
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia, Learning disabilities, Mental health conditions, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairment
- Last inspected2019-05-29
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Families describe the care staff as warm and supportive, particularly noting how they help relatives navigate the emotional side of moving into care. There's a sense that staff genuinely understand what families go through during this transition.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth55
- Compassion & dignity55
- Cleanliness55
- Activities & engagement50
- Food quality50
- Healthcare55
- Management & leadership60
- Resident happiness55
What inspectors found
Inspected 2019-05-29
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The Effective domain was rated Good at the May 2019 inspection. This domain covers training, care planning, nutrition, healthcare access, and whether staff are equipped to meet residents' needs. The published report does not contain specific detail about training content, care plan quality, GP access arrangements, or food quality. Dementia is listed as a specialism, which means inspectors would have looked at whether staff had relevant dementia training, but no findings are described in the available text.Is this home caring?
The Caring domain was rated Good at the May 2019 inspection. This domain covers staff warmth, dignity, privacy, independence, and how well staff know the people they care for as individuals. No inspector observations, resident quotes, or relative feedback are recorded in the published report text. The rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with what they observed, but the evidence behind that judgement is not available to families in the published findings.Is the home responsive?
The Responsive domain was rated Good at the May 2019 inspection. This domain covers activities, individual engagement, complaints handling, and end-of-life care. No specific descriptions of the activities programme, one-to-one engagement, or how the home responds to individual needs are available in the published report text. The home supports residents with a wide range of needs including dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, and physical disabilities, which makes responsiveness to individual need particularly important.Is the home well-led?
The Well-led domain was rated Good at the May 2019 inspection, an improvement from the previous rating of Requires Improvement. A named registered manager, Mrs Susan Varghese, and nominated individual, Mrs Clare Jeacock, were confirmed in post at the time of inspection. No specific detail about management visibility, staff culture, complaints handling, or governance processes is available in the published report text. The improvement from Requires Improvement to Good in this domain is a positive signal, but the inspection is now more than five years old.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home provides specialist support for several complex needs, including dementia care and support for people with sensory impairments. They also care for residents with learning disabilities, mental health conditions and physical disabilities. For those living with dementia, the team provides specialist care tailored to individual needs. The home has experience supporting residents at different stages of their dementia journey. 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
Cherwood House was rated Good across all five domains at its last inspection in May 2019, an improvement from Requires Improvement. However, the published report contains very limited specific evidence, so scores reflect a confirmed Good rating rather than rich, detailed inspection findings.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families describe the care staff as warm and supportive, particularly noting how they help relatives navigate the emotional side of moving into care. There's a sense that staff genuinely understand what families go through during this transition.
What inspectors have recorded
How it sits against good practice
If you're looking for specialist care in the Bicester area, visiting Cherwood House could help you understand if it's the right place for your loved one.
Worth a visit
Cherwood House Care Centre in Bicester was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its last assessment in May 2019, an improvement from a previous rating of Requires Improvement. The home supports 119 residents across nursing and residential care, with specialisms including dementia, mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities. A named registered manager was in post at the time of inspection, and the Well-led domain was rated Good, indicating inspectors were satisfied with leadership and governance. The main uncertainty here is the age of the inspection. The last full inspection took place in May 2019, more than five years ago, and a desk-based review in July 2023 found no reason to change the rating but did not constitute a full re-inspection. A lot can change in five years, including staffing, management, and the condition of the building. On a visit, ask specifically how many permanent staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm, how often care plans are reviewed and whether families are included, and what the current registered manager has changed since taking up the role.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Cherwood House measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Cherwood House describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Specialist care supporting families through difficult transitions
Compassionate Care in Bicester at Cherwood House Care Centre
Making the decision to find specialist care can feel overwhelming. Cherwood House Care Centre in Bicester understands this journey, offering support for people with dementia, sensory impairments, learning disabilities and mental health conditions. The team here focuses on helping both residents and their families adjust to this significant life change.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist support for several complex needs, including dementia care and support for people with sensory impairments. They also care for residents with learning disabilities, mental health conditions and physical disabilities.
For those living with dementia, the team provides specialist care tailored to individual needs. The home has experience supporting residents at different stages of their dementia journey.
“If you're looking for specialist care in the Bicester area, visiting Cherwood House could help you understand if it's the right place for your loved one.”
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
Cherwood House was rated Good across all five domains at its last inspection in May 2019, an improvement from Requires Improvement. However, the published report contains very limited specific evidence, so scores reflect a confirmed Good rating rather than rich, detailed inspection findings.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families describe the care staff as warm and supportive, particularly noting how they help relatives navigate the emotional side of moving into care. There's a sense that staff genuinely understand what families go through during this transition.
What inspectors have recorded
How it sits against good practice
If you're looking for specialist care in the Bicester area, visiting Cherwood House could help you understand if it's the right place for your loved one.
Worth a visit
Cherwood House Care Centre in Bicester was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its last assessment in May 2019, an improvement from a previous rating of Requires Improvement. The home supports 119 residents across nursing and residential care, with specialisms including dementia, mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities. A named registered manager was in post at the time of inspection, and the Well-led domain was rated Good, indicating inspectors were satisfied with leadership and governance. The main uncertainty here is the age of the inspection. The last full inspection took place in May 2019, more than five years ago, and a desk-based review in July 2023 found no reason to change the rating but did not constitute a full re-inspection. A lot can change in five years, including staffing, management, and the condition of the building. On a visit, ask specifically how many permanent staff are on the dementia unit after 8pm, how often care plans are reviewed and whether families are included, and what the current registered manager has changed since taking up the role.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Cherwood House measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Cherwood House describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Specialist care supporting families through difficult transitions
Compassionate Care in Bicester at Cherwood House Care Centre
Making the decision to find specialist care can feel overwhelming. Cherwood House Care Centre in Bicester understands this journey, offering support for people with dementia, sensory impairments, learning disabilities and mental health conditions. The team here focuses on helping both residents and their families adjust to this significant life change.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist support for several complex needs, including dementia care and support for people with sensory impairments. They also care for residents with learning disabilities, mental health conditions and physical disabilities.
For those living with dementia, the team provides specialist care tailored to individual needs. The home has experience supporting residents at different stages of their dementia journey.
“If you're looking for specialist care in the Bicester area, visiting Cherwood House could help you understand if it's the right place for your loved one.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
