Care Homes Owned by Hampshire County Council

A heartfelt big thank you all at Bickerley Green.

Hilary

My father was placed in this home by the Local Authority following a hospital stay. While the staff were generally polite and pleasant when spoken to, I was disappointed by the overall standard of care. The home lacked atmosphere, with very few residents or staff visible in communal areas, and I rarely witnessed meaningful interaction beyond basic care tasks. A major concern was that my father was placed in continence pads despite never needing them before and still being able to walk independently to the toilet. He was even encouraged to use the pad rather than the toilet, which I felt undermined his dignity and independence. The food quality was also poor. On one occasion, a meal of ham, chips and peas was served cold. On another, sandwiches were left out for several hours and had become stale, yet staff still suggested they be eaten. Regardless of funding arrangements, every resident deserves high-quality, person-centred care. Sadly, this was not my experience.

Staff are great, Sweet Honey and Empress ming especially :-) All very friendly and helpful, Mum is popular hence smiley faces when in her room. Easy to get to, always a space to park and a free COT if you want one.

We would like to say the biggest Thank You to Bickerley Green and would recommend them 100% to anyone considering going to stay.

My Dad only had a few teeth and some swallowing difficulties. He was not offered a soft diet. He was not offered encouragement with managing his oral care. At one visit, his water beaker was within his reach, but his water jug was not, apparently because it may be spilt. The buzzer was not always responded to. He was not encouraged to mobilize or sit in his chair, resulting in further muscle atrophy. He was only reviewed by a paramedic when he had been in the home for 2 weeks, after his partner reported concerns about his swallowing.

No frills care home, clean and well organised. Great carers who give all the love and attention one could ask for.. Cannot fault anything in the service given, includinng thereception staff who were always friendly and available.

My brother is a perminent, full-time resident at Bickerely Green. He, and we, could not be happier with his care and the staff. My brother looks very well and is more content than he has been in years. The activities and staff interaction provide the stimulus essential to his well being. We cannot speak highly enough about the staff.

amazing staff , pure empathy,professionalism and welcoming . my mother in law has settled in well and as a large family we are grateful to you all for your care for mum . the fete and entertainment you provide makes it that extra special

The only drawback is they could do with more staff .

Dads mobility has improved and he is eating better. We knew he could no longer be independent but at nearly 97 he is in the best place. The whole family are pleased with his progress and with the home.

Mum has been resident at Bickerley Green since mid- June 2024. In that time the staff have been unfailingly supportive of her needs and those of her friends and family. Her physical and mental wellbeing is their primary concern, but they also provide simple friendships in the way they interact with her and with my brother and me. Not only do I see the highest ethical standards displayed, but also it is clear that the people who work and volunteer here genuinely care.

I have seen the way other residents have been treated whilst I am there and all the residents are treated with compassion and given dignity, which is very important. They have their own 'nail salon' where they are able to be pampered. The visitors are treated with respect and understanding in what is a very difficult time, the staff seem to know exactly what to say and when to say it. I highly recommend Emsworth House, they have provided a calm place for mum in her last few weeks.

I would like to say that all the staff without exception were, kind, caring, attentive, not only to my dad, but to my 90 year old mother who visited him every day. In his last few hours, he was shown love, kindness, dignity and respect and when he passed we were not rushed in anyway. I have nothing but praised for the experience we had at Emsworth House. It was far superior to the care and attention shown at some of the other 'nursing homes' where we paid thousands of pounds for respite care. Thank you Emsworth House.

Visited my partner for Valentine's Day, had a lovely meal with a bottle of fizz, staff couldn't have done more to make it a lovely experience. Always very helpful and friendly. My partner is certainly well looked after. Thank you.

Mum has been a resident at Bickerley Green since June this year. We couldn't have picked a better place for her to live. The staff are excellent, they always make time for us, whether we have a query or just to have a chat. They are very tuned in to mum's needs and requirements. There is something going on every day, whether it's singing, knit and natter, films to watch or crosswords/quizzes. Visitors are encouraged to join in too! There are lots of other events going on throughout the year, The Christmas Fayre and Bickfest (2 day music festival) to name a couple. Residents also go out too, to the garden centre or to see the Remembrance poppy display in the town. Nothing is too much trouble, if ever there has been a problem the staff contact me immediately and keep me up to date with what's going on. The food is lovely too! We are very happy with mum's care at Bickerley, and are very pleased that she is well cared for and that the staff treat her as if she was their own relative.

Where do I start? My mum was staying here for respite whilst being assessed. After a weeks stay she fell poorly and was admitted to hospital. 44 hours after her admission the care home called me to say they were packing my mums things because the rules were if your away from the home for 48 hours or more then your bed will be closed. They called me after 44 hours to say she was not welcome back. I later find out that actually my mums bed was given to someone else shortly after her hospital admission! My mum was left homeless! She had COPD and was very poorly, she made it quite clear she did not want to spend what time she had left in hospital but Forest Court refused to take her back. They caused a lot of distress on me, my mum and my family and we are absolutely disgusted. They lady that called was rude, they tried to claim mums wheelchair too, we still had time to get mum back to Forest Court for her wishes but they said no, my mum died in hospital 3 weeks later!

To anyone whose loved one goes into Hawthorne, I would say you're lucky. They couldn't be anywhere better, thank you everyone for everything.

I was absolutely devastated when I was unable to care for my mum at home after she had lived with us for 7 years. I honestly feel now that I couldn’t have found anywhere better for her to be. It has probably taken my mum about 6 months to settle and accept I was unable to care for her properly on my own and the staff are absolutely amazing with my mum. The manager and all the staff truly care. The staff who organise all the events do an amazing job. All the family are made very welcome at any time. (We are putting our names down so we can come here too.) Thank you Bickerly Care Home.

Support and help given to my mum are great; she is enjoying the food, her room is clean, the staff are in attendance all the time, the common areas are clean and tidy, and the staff are so friendly, not only nursing and cleaning, but also the chef's (met in the lift) reception staff, and the manager, this place is a credit to the local authority. The staff also remember little things, for instance, my mum is blind, and her food is always served cut up to make it easier to eat, might not sound like much, but so important to my mum.