Blackbrook House

Gun Hill, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6HP
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9.6 81 Reviews
  • Blackbrook House, Colchester
Blackbrook House in Dedham is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Essex-Suffolk border. The home provides residential and dementia care for up to 55 residents in comfortable ensuite rooms and continues to welcome new residents.

As one of England's largest not-for-profit providers of housing and care for those over 55 years of age, Anchor continually reinvests the money it makes into its retirement properties and care homes, to continually raise standards to provide a high-quality service to surpass customer’s expectations

Anchor ensures each individual’s health and care needs are continually met by working closely with customers and their families.

They provide on-going dementia training for care staff which ensures their approach always reflects best practice. Anchor recognises that everyone is an individual and works hard to provide person-centred care.

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Care Provided

Primary Care Categories

  • Older Person Care
  • Dementia

Length of Stay

  • Permanent Care
  • Respite Care

Care Types Provided

  • Residential Care
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 55 Service Users

Dementia Care Types

  • Mild Dementia
  • Moderate Dementia

Other Care Provided

  • Convalescent Care

Facilities

  • Lift
  • Wheelchair Access
  • Television point in own room

Funding & Fees

Weekly Charges per Person

  • Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1367
  • Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: from £1367
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1367
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: from £1367

Colleagues at Blackbrook House will be happy to discuss our weekly fees with you and what our fees include.

These prices are only a guideline, please contact Blackbrook House to find out the exact price for your requirements.

Funding Types Accepted

  • Self Funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Good to Know

Group/Owner

Person in charge

  • Lucy Yarham (Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Criteria

  • Please contact Blackbrook House directly to discuss yours or your loved ones' care needs.
  • Ages 65+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: Yes
  • Year Purpose Built: 2008
  • Number of floors: 2

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (55)
  • Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (55)

Visiting

  • The home welcome visitors as an integral part of day-to-day life.

Parking

  • There is onsite parking, including disabled spaces.

Blackbrook House Reviews (81)

Total of 81, showing 1-20
9.6

Blackbrook House has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.625) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Blackbrook House has 81 reviews.

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Review from Alison H (Daughter of Resident) published on 12 August 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent experience of Blackbrook House. My Mum has been there nearly 2 years and she has been transformed from someone who just watched TV, was not taking care of herself and was not interested in anything or anyone around her, to someone who takes an active interest in everything. She is a very different
person and I have not only got my Mum back but a happier version of my Mum than I have ever seen in spite of the fact that she was very happily married and had a lovely family! Being nurtured and looked after suits her down to the ground. She loves the staff, enjoys the activities, feels respected and cared for. I am always welcomed and the staff are very caring and friendly. I think the care and attention the staff show Mum is something she has needed for a long time and finally found! I definitely chose the right home for Mum. I am so happy she went to Blackbrook House.

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Review from Wendy S (Daughter of Resident) published on 12 August 2025
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mum was very unsettled when she first came. However with the excellent care and kindness of the staff she is now in a much better way. The staff are all very kind and considerate, if I have any questions they are only too happy to answer and reassure me. I am entirely satisfied with the care she
is recieving

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Review from Jenny W (Wife of Resident) published on 12 August 2025
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are so very kind and helpful.

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Review from William D (Son of Resident) published on 12 August 2025
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Having tried several care home previously I am delighted to find Blackbrook House for my mother. She has settled in very well. Your carers are all really polite and attentive. It is a great comfort to know my mother is being well looked after. The premises are very cheerful and bright, my mother's room
on the north side is a bit glooming and I understand you will consider her for a brighter room when one becomes available.

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Review from Maureen M (Friend of Resident) published on 9 July 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Friendly kind understanding accomodating smiling staff.
Excellent decor comfortable furnishings a real homely atmosphere,i in fact everything you could want from a care home Food also looked super. All in all wonderful place for a loved one to find themselves when personal independence is no longer
an option. Visited my friend in a few local homes when she has had short care needs and this seems gold star in comparison.

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Review from Carol M (Daughter of Resident) published on 28 May 2025
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Dad moved to Blackbrook House at the ripe age of 97 - quite a transition for someone who was previously living in an independent flat. From the outset the managers and all the staff were very kind and thoughtful and treated Dad with respect and care. The home is welcoming, clean and bright with lovely
areas to sit and walk around. Although Dad is now very frail he continuously comments on how kind and caring the staff are. To end with his own words 'Excellent, nice staff, very understanding and always prepared to listen to what you have to say. They are all very lovely'.

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Review from Michael N (Son of Resident) published on 19 March 2025
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Mother spent the last three years of her life at Blackbrook House and knowing that she was safe and comfortable there was a huge weight off my mind. The staff were all very caring and treated Mum with respect.
The managers were always approachable and treated Mum as an individual not just as a client.
Her final passing was treated with compassion and dignity.

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Review from Jill B (Daughter of Resident) published on 22 January 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would strongly recommend the manager and her team.
They cared for my father in a caring and compassionate way.
They dealt with his needs in an amazingly professional way.
Sadly, we were unable to keep him there any longer due to social services.
The care home has a warm and friendly atmosphere,
it is a wonderful place.
Thank you for all your help and support for the family as well.

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Review from Phil H (Son of Resident) published on 21 January 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The care staff and management are excellent.
I feel that sometimes the level/quantity of carers could be improved, especially at weekends. I have found my father on a few occasions needing some assistance. It does always come on asking.
He has lost a number of clothing items and also a hearing aid
in excess of £1,000 to replace, so maybe this element could be looked at.
All this said, I am very happy with the care, the home, staff and management.
My father has always been a 'good' critic and does often complain to me about the food.

Reply from Lucy Yarham, Manager at Blackbrook House

Thank you for taking the time to review Blackbrook House. It's great to see you rate our staff and care/support as excellent as well as the facilities on offer here at Blackbrook House. Our priority is to always provide the best quality care in a place, where our residents and their families can call home, so we are really pleased your father has settled in so well with us here and that you have chosen to make his stay more permanent. Our weekly reviews are a great space for us to discuss any areas we can improve, so please don't hesitate to discuss any issues as they arise. We are pleased that we now have an improved laundry service whereby all residents have the button system for their clothing. We also try to accommodate all with our freshly, home-cooked meals however if there is something Dad would like in particular, please do let us know. Feedback is hugely important to us, so thank you again for taking the time to leave us a review and for all your support.

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Review from A J (Daughter of Resident) published on 15 January 2025
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My sister and I visited our mum at Blackbrook House and had our lunch with her last week (12th December) and it was such a memorable and joyous visit. We were given a lovely table in the dining room in a little secluded area all decorated festively for Christmas. The staff were all amazing and made
us all feel very special taking pictures for us and the assistant manager went above and beyond to look after us, printing and laminating a lovely photograph of all three of us together. The food was delicious. Thank you Blackbrook House.

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Review from Christine H (Resident) published on 31 December 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are very helpful. Breakfast is brought up to my room. I watch TV while I'm having breakfast. There's a choice for lunch and dinner which is very nice. A lady who sits at my table is a vegetarian and she is catered for. My room and shower room are regularly cleaned and polished. I forgot to
say I have the same thing for breakfast every morning!

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Review from L M (Wife of Resident) published on 19 December 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Blackbrook House is the best-kept care home that I have been in. My husband is a resident, he is very happy where he is. With dementia, it is very hard to assess his feelings. I only have one gripe and on several days over the last few weeks, when there are no senior staff on shift, things seem not
to run as smoothly. The inexperienced agency staff seem to not know what they are doing. It is a very hard job, I know, and it is easy for me to say but I do think there should be more experienced staff to guide them.

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Review from G H (Granddaughter of Resident) published on 19 December 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Would appreciate, when the weather is appropriate, that the outdoor patio area could be cleaned, swept and pressure washed, and bird feeders cleaned with table and chairs as the area looks unloved and not useable.

Reply from Lucy Yarham, Home Manager at Blackbrook House

Thank you for taking the time to leave Blackbrook House a review. Our outside patio is due to be jet washed when the weather improves but recent storms have made this difficult. Please don't hesitate to contact me should you have any queries or concerns so we can discuss these and resolve where possible. Thank you again for your time.

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Review from C F (Nephew of Resident) published on 13 December 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My aunt moved into Blackbrook House in November, she has said how lovely the home is, so clean, friendly and beautifully decorated it is. The staff are all so welcoming and friendly and nothing seems too much trouble if you ask for anything. She loves her newly painted room and seems very settled. I
am very pleased with her settling in so quickly.

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Review from J H (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 4 December 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Very welcoming, caring care home. Good staff ratio to residents. Good level of activities. One to one time spent with residents on a regular basis. Management and staff contact relatives should there be a problem, They do this in a timely manner. Communal area's are comfortable and clean. The individual
residents rooms do now require an up-lift as they are looking a little tired.

Reply from Lucy Yarham, Manager at Blackbrook House

Thank you for taking the time to review Blackbrook House and we are pleased you rate our food/drink as excellent. Thank you for your kind comments regarding our team, which I will pass on. We are currently working around the home to update our bedrooms as a priority. We welcome feedback to continuously improve care at Blackbrook House, so my door is always open to discuss any matters relating to our care.

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Review from Janis F (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 14 October 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot fault Blackbrook House Care Home. The building, facilities, accommodation are very efficient yet are very comfortable, bright, welcoming and extremely clean.
The staff and carers are truly lovely people. They are warm, friendly and really care about the residents and visitors as well.
I would
not hesitate to recommend this care home to people considering relocating loved ones. By far, the best we looked at and we looked at a lot of homes in the Colchester area.

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Review from David H (Son of Resident) published on 20 September 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother has been a resident for nearly three years. She arrived after living abroad for many years and she had just lost her husband and arrived at Blackbrook House in a very anxious and depressed state. The staff at Blackbrook House have nurtured and supported my mother since her arrival, enabling
her to, once again, enjoy her days in, what is now, her home.
The residents are positively encouraged to participate in the activities and their views are sought whenever a change to their home is envisaged, even down to helping choose the paint colour for the walls.
My mother is treated with respect and dignity and is encouraged to be independent which she enjoys.
My suggestions for improvement include improving the outside spaces and reintroducing the family meetings to update relatives on issues and initiatives etc.

Reply from Lucy Yarham, Home Manager at Blackbrook House

Thank you for taking the time to review Blackbrook House, we are pleased that you rate your overall experience of our home as excellent. Thank you for your kind comments regarding our team and how they supported your mum on her admission to Blackbrook House. I will ensure that this feedback is passed on. We welcome feedback for any improvements we can make to our home. We actively encourage our relatives to attend our family meetings through email invitation and on our notice boards, please do let me know if you require further information on forthcoming meetings. We are actively working on our outdoor spaces, some work has been completed this year, with more to come. We will, of course, be engaging with our residents and relatives on other areas of the home. Thanks again for taking the time to review Blackbrook House.

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Review from B K (Daughter of Resident) published on 10 September 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We could not believe how amazing Blackbrook House has been. The welcome, induction to everything and the cleanliness of the room was superb.
Staff were friendly, caring and attentive.
Options of going down for food or sitting outside of Mum's room were given. They made me feel welcome when visiting
too.
Sadly, the food was not that good, but Mum was offered other options.

Reply from Lucy Yarham, Manager at Blackbrook House

Thank you for taking the time to review Blackbrook House and we are pleased that your rate our overall experience as excellent. Thank you for your kind comments regarding our home and team. We cater for each of our residents' nutritional needs and preferences, to ensure that these are appetising. In addition to the daily choices provided, we have an on-call menu, which is always available. I'm always happy to discuss any aspect of our care at a mutually convenient time.

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Review from John R (Resident) published on 2 July 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been supported and treated very well. The staff are very good and helpful.

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Review from Keith C (Son of Resident) published on 17 June 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My father went into Blackbrook House for restpite whilst recovering from pneumonia. The standards are very high, the care staff are attentive and the rooms are of a good standard. Food is also excellent and served in your room if wanted.
All in all, it's a very nice place.

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Current Review Score: 9.6 (9.625)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.6 (9.625) out of 10 for Blackbrook House is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 25 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 25 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Care Home is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.625 for Blackbrook House is calculated as follows: ( (199 Excellents x 5) + (85 Goods x 4) + (10 Satisfactorys x 3) + (2 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 296 Ratings = 4.625

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Blackbrook House is based on 25 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the registered maximum number of service users in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Care Home registered for a maximum of 50 service users has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 55 registered maximum number of service users is 11, which has been reached with 25 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Care Home does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Regulatory Rating

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 18 Jan 2020

Overall
Good

  • Caring

    Good

  • Effective

    Good

  • Responsive

    Good

  • Safe

    Requires improvement

  • Well-led

    Good

Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England.

View Latest Report

Bed Vacancies

2 Bed Vacancies

posted 21 Jul 2025

We currently have two vacancies for care. Please contact Blackbrook House directly for more details.

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Awards / Recognitions (13)

Meet the Team (0)

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Frequently Asked Questions about Blackbrook House

What types of Care is Blackbrook House registered for?

Older Person Care & Dementia are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.

How many Rooms does Blackbrook House have?

There are 55 Single Rooms.

What are the Facilities & Services at Blackbrook House?

Lift, Wheelchair Access & Television point in own room are some of the Facilities & Services.

How far is Blackbrook House to the centre of Colchester?

5.5 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Blackbrook House to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Blackbrook House has an Enhanced Service - more info.