St Philip & St James
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 beds32
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2019-06-06
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STAGE 4 — RESEARCHING CARE HOMES
Visit homes. Compare them side by side. Choose with confidence.
Most of us will view care homes the way we view houses, impression, atmosphere, the feeling in the corridor. We go home, try to remember what we saw, and make a permanent decision from a blurred memory.
The DCC shortlist gives every home you visit a structured record: the same twelve questions, answered the same way, every time. When you’re ready to choose, pull any two homes side by side and compare them directly. Same criteria, same evidence, your notes and your scores.
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Relatives talk about staff who really understand how to help nervous new residents settle in. They describe seeing worried family members gradually relax and start joining in with activities, often surprising everyone with how quickly they adapt. The approach seems particularly effective with residents who initially resist the idea of care.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth75
- Compassion & dignity85
- Cleanliness65
- Activities & engagement65
- Food quality60
- Healthcare65
- Management & leadership70
- Resident happiness70
What inspectors found
Inspected 2019-06-06
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The home received a Good rating for effective at its March 2019 inspection. This domain covers training, care planning, healthcare access, and nutrition. The published summary does not include specific detail about the content of dementia training, how often care plans are reviewed, or how GP and specialist access is arranged. The home lists dementia as a specialism, so inspectors would have assessed whether staff knowledge matched the needs of the people living there. No concerns were recorded.Is this home caring?
The home received an Outstanding rating for caring at its March 2019 inspection. Outstanding is the highest possible rating and is awarded only when inspectors find specific, compelling evidence that staff treat residents with exceptional warmth, dignity, and respect. The published summary does not reproduce the specific observations or quotes that led to this rating, but the award itself is meaningful. Inspectors would have observed direct interactions, spoken with residents and relatives, and reviewed records before concluding that caring practice here went beyond what is routinely expected.Is the home responsive?
The home received a Good rating for responsive at its March 2019 inspection. This domain covers how well the home tailors its care and activities to individual needs, including end-of-life planning. The published summary does not describe the activities programme, how the home supports residents who cannot join group sessions, or how individual preferences are captured and acted on. No concerns were recorded in this area.Is the home well-led?
The home received a Good rating for well-led at its March 2019 inspection. The home is run by Mrs Patricia Elizabeth Clarke, who holds the role of both registered manager and nominated individual, meaning she carries personal regulatory responsibility for the service. This structure often indicates a closely involved owner-manager rather than a distant corporate arrangement. The published summary does not include specific observations about management visibility, staff culture, or governance systems.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home provides specialist dementia support alongside general care for adults over 65. Staff show particular skill in medication management and activity planning that matches individual capabilities. The team has experience supporting residents with various stages of dementia, focusing on maintaining dignity and encouraging independence where possible. They adapt their approach as needs change, though families should ensure clear communication channels are established from the start. 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
The Outstanding rating for caring lifts this home's score meaningfully, reflecting strong evidence of staff warmth and dignity. However, limited inspection detail across most other themes means the overall score reflects positive signals rather than confirmed specifics.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Relatives talk about staff who really understand how to help nervous new residents settle in. They describe seeing worried family members gradually relax and start joining in with activities, often surprising everyone with how quickly they adapt. The approach seems particularly effective with residents who initially resist the idea of care.
What inspectors have recorded
Some staff members have worked at the home for many years, building up detailed knowledge of each resident's history and preferences. However, families have raised concerns about communication, particularly around significant care decisions. While day-to-day care receives consistent praise, some relatives have experienced difficulties with management responsiveness during critical moments.
How it sits against good practice
Long-term residents and families who've placed multiple generations here suggest the home maintains consistent care standards over time.
Worth a visit
SS Philip and James Retirement Home, on Priory Road in Bristol, was rated Good overall at its inspection in March 2019, with an Outstanding rating for caring. That Outstanding caring rating is significant: inspectors award it only when they find specific, compelling evidence of staff treating residents with genuine warmth, dignity, and respect. The home specialises in dementia care and accommodates up to 32 residents. It is run by a registered manager, Mrs Patricia Elizabeth Clarke, who is also the nominated individual, suggesting a closely involved owner-manager rather than an absent corporate structure. The main caution here is that this inspection took place in March 2019, more than six years ago. A review of information in July 2023 found no reason to change the rating, but that is a monitoring check, not a new inspection. A great deal can change in six years: staffing teams, management stability, and the physical environment all shift. When you visit, ask to see the most recent staffing rota (not the template, the actual rota), ask how many permanent staff work on the dementia unit after 8pm, and spend time in a communal area watching how staff interact with residents at a quiet moment. The Outstanding caring rating tells you something real about what this home aspired to in 2019; your own eyes on a visit will tell you whether that culture has held.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how St Philip & St James measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How St Philip & St James describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where residents find their confidence again in Bristol
Residential home in Bristol: True Peace of Mind
Families describe watching anxious relatives transform into settled, sociable residents at SS Philip & James Retirement Home in Bristol. The home specialises in supporting adults over 65, with particular experience helping those who might be reluctant about the move into care. Located in the South West, the home focuses on building each resident's confidence through patient, individualised support.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist dementia support alongside general care for adults over 65. Staff show particular skill in medication management and activity planning that matches individual capabilities.
The team has experience supporting residents with various stages of dementia, focusing on maintaining dignity and encouraging independence where possible. They adapt their approach as needs change, though families should ensure clear communication channels are established from the start.
“Long-term residents and families who've placed multiple generations here suggest the home maintains consistent care standards over time.”
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
The Outstanding rating for caring lifts this home's score meaningfully, reflecting strong evidence of staff warmth and dignity. However, limited inspection detail across most other themes means the overall score reflects positive signals rather than confirmed specifics.
Homes in South West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Relatives talk about staff who really understand how to help nervous new residents settle in. They describe seeing worried family members gradually relax and start joining in with activities, often surprising everyone with how quickly they adapt. The approach seems particularly effective with residents who initially resist the idea of care.
What inspectors have recorded
Some staff members have worked at the home for many years, building up detailed knowledge of each resident's history and preferences. However, families have raised concerns about communication, particularly around significant care decisions. While day-to-day care receives consistent praise, some relatives have experienced difficulties with management responsiveness during critical moments.
How it sits against good practice
Long-term residents and families who've placed multiple generations here suggest the home maintains consistent care standards over time.
Worth a visit
SS Philip and James Retirement Home, on Priory Road in Bristol, was rated Good overall at its inspection in March 2019, with an Outstanding rating for caring. That Outstanding caring rating is significant: inspectors award it only when they find specific, compelling evidence of staff treating residents with genuine warmth, dignity, and respect. The home specialises in dementia care and accommodates up to 32 residents. It is run by a registered manager, Mrs Patricia Elizabeth Clarke, who is also the nominated individual, suggesting a closely involved owner-manager rather than an absent corporate structure. The main caution here is that this inspection took place in March 2019, more than six years ago. A review of information in July 2023 found no reason to change the rating, but that is a monitoring check, not a new inspection. A great deal can change in six years: staffing teams, management stability, and the physical environment all shift. When you visit, ask to see the most recent staffing rota (not the template, the actual rota), ask how many permanent staff work on the dementia unit after 8pm, and spend time in a communal area watching how staff interact with residents at a quiet moment. The Outstanding caring rating tells you something real about what this home aspired to in 2019; your own eyes on a visit will tell you whether that culture has held.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how St Philip & St James measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How St Philip & St James describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where residents find their confidence again in Bristol
Residential home in Bristol: True Peace of Mind
Families describe watching anxious relatives transform into settled, sociable residents at SS Philip & James Retirement Home in Bristol. The home specialises in supporting adults over 65, with particular experience helping those who might be reluctant about the move into care. Located in the South West, the home focuses on building each resident's confidence through patient, individualised support.
Who they care for
The home provides specialist dementia support alongside general care for adults over 65. Staff show particular skill in medication management and activity planning that matches individual capabilities.
The team has experience supporting residents with various stages of dementia, focusing on maintaining dignity and encouraging independence where possible. They adapt their approach as needs change, though families should ensure clear communication channels are established from the start.
Management & ethos
Some staff members have worked at the home for many years, building up detailed knowledge of each resident's history and preferences. However, families have raised concerns about communication, particularly around significant care decisions. While day-to-day care receives consistent praise, some relatives have experienced difficulties with management responsiveness during critical moments.
The home & environment
The home prepares meals according to individual preferences, with families mentioning flexibility around dietary needs and personal tastes. During lockdown restrictions, they arranged pod visits and room visits to keep families connected.
“Long-term residents and families who've placed multiple generations here suggest the home maintains consistent care standards over time.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
