Wickmeads – a Care South home for residential and dementia care
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Nursing homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds50
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairment
- Last inspected2020-03-07
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Visitors regularly mention how happy and engaged residents appear during their time at the home. There's a sense that people here are treated with real dignity, with staff taking time to understand individual preferences and needs.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity74
- Cleanliness74
- Activities & engagement70
- Food quality70
- Healthcare72
- Management & leadership74
- Resident happiness72
What inspectors found
Inspected 2020-03-07
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The inspection rated Wickmeads Good for effectiveness in February 2025. This domain covers training, care planning, health monitoring, and nutrition. The home holds a dementia specialism registration, which implies staff should have relevant training. No concerns about GP access, medication management, or nutritional care were raised in the published summary. Specific detail on care plan quality, review frequency, or food provision is not included in the published report.Is this home caring?
The inspection rated Wickmeads Good for caring in February 2025. This domain covers staff warmth, dignity, respect, and how well staff know the individuals they care for. No concerns were raised in the published summary. However, the report does not include direct observations of staff interactions, quotes from residents or relatives, or specific examples of person-centred practice.Is the home responsive?
The inspection rated Wickmeads Good for responsiveness in February 2025. This domain covers activities, engagement, individuality, and end-of-life care. The published summary does not include detail on the activities programme, one-to-one engagement provision, or how the home supports people who cannot join group activities. No concerns were raised.Is the home well-led?
The inspection rated Wickmeads Good for leadership in February 2025. Mrs Tracey Elizabeth Walker is named as the registered manager, with Mr Martin Ross and Mr Phillip Ridgway Smith listed as nominated individuals. The home is operated by Care South, a regional provider. A Good well-led rating indicates inspectors were satisfied with governance and management culture. The published summary does not detail manager tenure, staff turnover, or how the home handles complaints.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home provides specialist support for people living with dementia, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. They care for adults over 65, with staff experienced in managing the varied needs that come with these conditions. For those living with dementia, the team understands the importance of maintaining dignity while providing the right level of support. Staff work to create an environment where residents with dementia can feel secure and engaged. 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
Wickmeads received a Good rating across all five inspection domains in February 2025, which is a positive baseline, but the published report contains limited specific detail on individual interactions, staffing ratios, and daily life, so the family score reflects solid evidence of compliance rather than the richer picture that higher-scoring homes provide.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Visitors regularly mention how happy and engaged residents appear during their time at the home. There's a sense that people here are treated with real dignity, with staff taking time to understand individual preferences and needs.
What inspectors have recorded
Staff here are known for their professional yet compassionate approach to care. Family members appreciate how attentive the team is to residents' individual needs, creating an environment where people feel respected and well-supported.
How it sits against good practice
If you're considering care options in the Bournemouth area, visiting Wickmeads could help you get a real sense of whether it might suit your loved one.
Worth a visit
Wickmeads in Bournemouth was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent assessment in February 2025, published on 28 February 2025. The home is registered to provide nursing care for up to 50 people, including those living with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments. A registered manager, Mrs Tracey Elizabeth Walker, is named in the report, and the home is operated by Care South, a regional provider. A Good rating across every domain is a meaningful threshold, and the stable trend is reassuring. The main limitation of this report is that the published summary contains very little specific detail about daily life at Wickmeads: no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no observations of staff interactions, and no data on staffing ratios or activities. This means the family score reflects structural compliance rather than the texture of day-to-day care. Before making a decision, visit during a weekday morning when both care and activities are in full swing, ask to see last week's actual staffing rota including night shifts, and speak directly to a family member whose parent already lives there.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Wickmeads – a Care South home for residential and dementia care measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Wickmeads – a Care South home for residential and dementia care describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where compassionate staff create a bright, engaging environment
Nursing home in Bournemouth: True Peace of Mind
Families visiting Wickmeads in Bournemouth often comment on the genuine warmth they feel from the moment they arrive. This spacious care home sits in pleasant surroundings, where natural light fills the communal areas and residents seem genuinely content. The atmosphere here reflects the respectful, attentive approach that staff bring to their work each day.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist support for people living with dementia, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. They care for adults over 65, with staff experienced in managing the varied needs that come with these conditions.
For those living with dementia, the team understands the importance of maintaining dignity while providing the right level of support. Staff work to create an environment where residents with dementia can feel secure and engaged.
“If you're considering care options in the Bournemouth area, visiting Wickmeads could help you get a real sense of whether it might suit 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
Wickmeads received a Good rating across all five inspection domains in February 2025, which is a positive baseline, but the published report contains limited specific detail on individual interactions, staffing ratios, and daily life, so the family score reflects solid evidence of compliance rather than the richer picture that higher-scoring homes provide.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Visitors regularly mention how happy and engaged residents appear during their time at the home. There's a sense that people here are treated with real dignity, with staff taking time to understand individual preferences and needs.
What inspectors have recorded
Staff here are known for their professional yet compassionate approach to care. Family members appreciate how attentive the team is to residents' individual needs, creating an environment where people feel respected and well-supported.
How it sits against good practice
If you're considering care options in the Bournemouth area, visiting Wickmeads could help you get a real sense of whether it might suit your loved one.
Worth a visit
Wickmeads in Bournemouth was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its most recent assessment in February 2025, published on 28 February 2025. The home is registered to provide nursing care for up to 50 people, including those living with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments. A registered manager, Mrs Tracey Elizabeth Walker, is named in the report, and the home is operated by Care South, a regional provider. A Good rating across every domain is a meaningful threshold, and the stable trend is reassuring. The main limitation of this report is that the published summary contains very little specific detail about daily life at Wickmeads: no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no observations of staff interactions, and no data on staffing ratios or activities. This means the family score reflects structural compliance rather than the texture of day-to-day care. Before making a decision, visit during a weekday morning when both care and activities are in full swing, ask to see last week's actual staffing rota including night shifts, and speak directly to a family member whose parent already lives there.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Wickmeads – a Care South home for residential and dementia care measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Wickmeads – a Care South home for residential and dementia care describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where compassionate staff create a bright, engaging environment
Nursing home in Bournemouth: True Peace of Mind
Families visiting Wickmeads in Bournemouth often comment on the genuine warmth they feel from the moment they arrive. This spacious care home sits in pleasant surroundings, where natural light fills the communal areas and residents seem genuinely content. The atmosphere here reflects the respectful, attentive approach that staff bring to their work each day.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist support for people living with dementia, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. They care for adults over 65, with staff experienced in managing the varied needs that come with these conditions.
For those living with dementia, the team understands the importance of maintaining dignity while providing the right level of support. Staff work to create an environment where residents with dementia can feel secure and engaged.
Management & ethos
Staff here are known for their professional yet compassionate approach to care. Family members appreciate how attentive the team is to residents' individual needs, creating an environment where people feel respected and well-supported.
The home & environment
The building itself makes a strong impression — families describe it as immaculate and airy, with plenty of natural light throughout. The outdoor spaces provide a pleasant setting where residents can enjoy fresh air when the weather allows.
“If you're considering care options in the Bournemouth area, visiting Wickmeads could help you get a real sense of whether it might suit your loved one.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
