
the personal touch of the home is very important. We feel that our mother is safeAnita R(Daughter-in-law of Resident/Service User)

Mum has benefitted from the many organised and fun activities run by compassionate and caring staff.Debbie D(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The home is friendly and very comfortable mum is happy and has many friendsDiane E(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

the personal touch of the home is very important. We feel that our mother is safeAnita R(Daughter-in-law of Resident/Service User)

Mum has benefitted from the many organised and fun activities run by compassionate and caring staff.Debbie D(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

The home is friendly and very comfortable mum is happy and has many friendsDiane E(Daughter of Resident/Service User)

Blackthorns is a newly refurbished, 58 bedroom, residential care home in Halstead, north Essex. This spacious home provides expert care for older people, including those living with dementia. All of the bedrooms are beautifully furnished, with 22 benefitting from en-suite bathroom facilities and there is also a dedicated area for dementia care, designed to enable those they care for to maintain their independence in a safe environment.
Facilities available for the...
Care Provided by Blackthorns
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 62 Service Users
Dementia Care TypesMild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Blackthorns for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Blackthorns to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Runwood Homes Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Hazel Dockrell(Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Last Refurbishment: 2020
- Number of floors: 1
Room Information
- Single Rooms (56)
- Couples/Companion Rooms (3)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (1)
Visiting
- Upon arriving at the home, please press the buzzer on the intercom. A member of staff will greet you shortly. The home kindly request that you sign the guestbook upon both arrival and departure. This helps maintain an accurate record of who is in the building. In the event of an emergency, please follow the designated safety protocols provided. Your cooperation ensures everyone's safety.
Parking
- The home includes dedicated parking spaces.
Blackthorns Reviews (97)
Blackthorns has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.658) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Blackthorns has 97 reviews.
My mum has settled in so well, the staff are so helpful and kind and can't do enough for the residents. I feel very comfortable with Blackthorns and the care and attention they are giving to Mum and how they keep me informed of how she is doing when I visit.
It was decided she needed 24-hour care. Mother also has a tenancy to be up in the early hours and has fallen numerous times while alone.
Being in the home, Mum is often taken back to bed when she is up very early. Her medical needs are seen to very efficiently. The home has some good outdoor spaces. Entertainment provided on occasions.
Management and staff provide excellent care.
I am very impressed with the care and support that my Mum and Dad get in the care home. The Manager could not be more helpful or supportive. She has been brilliant since the first assessment of my parents until the present day.
Since my sister-in-law has been a resident of Blackthorns in Halstead, we have been very pleased with all aspects of her care, management and staff show the utmost care and consideration for all residents. We are kept fully informed of any problems. We would recommend Blackthorns Halstead highly.
The staff at Blackthorns have always been very caring towards my Dad and I thank them all for that. My only complaint is that new staff do not seem to stay long and I feel particularly with dementia residents need continuous care. I am sure if you could pay a little more you would retain staff.
I recommend the home.
We have been extremely pleased with the level of care which has been given to my grandmother since she came to Blackthorns three months ago. The staff have been very professional at all times and any concerns have been dealt with immediately. We would not hesitate to recommend this care home to other people.
I am happy enough to stay in Blackthorns I am not quite sure if I can cope when I go home. I feel that I am safer and well looked after here in Blackthorns. All the staff are very kind and helpful. The home manager is lovely and so with the deputy manager, I think they are priceless.
My stay at Blackthorns has been pleasant and comfortable. I enjoyed joining various activities and the company of my new found friends. I extremely enjoyed our day out at the garden centre in Braintree. Lovely home.
My aunt is 94 and virtually bedridden and has been at Blackthorns for two and a half years. Her needs are therefore centred on the room she is in. The staff are friendly and reasonably attentive to her calls for assistance, she is extremely forgetful and makes many calls for attention. Most of the time she is in a chair next to her bed when not in bed. She especially needs to be kept clean when and after feeding this puts the greatest demand on staff and can be inconsistent. She receives prompt medical attention and the staff always phone me if she falls or has any medical issues.
We have found the staff at Blackthorns to be very caring and keen to assist the residents. Activities seem to be well planned and play a very big part of my mother's day. She enjoys her life in this home and feels very safe and comfortable in her environment.
Blackthorns was our only choice of a care home for my mother, we didn't want her to go anywhere else. The home is lovely and all the staff really very good, couldn't be better, so friendly and welcoming.
The experience of my wife here is very happy. Every time I see her at Blackthorns she looks happy and comfortable. The home allowed a canary bird to accompany my wife and we bring our dog to see her as well.
Great care and attention to residents but still not enough staff. This has been acknowledged after various meetings but still no new staff employed. There are too many bedridden residents in this home and they take up so much time that the other residents do not get enough, but the activities and the management try extremely hard and all staff are very dedicated. More staff required.
It is pleasing to say that the care home is not clinical, simply homely, whilst providing all the necessary clinical and medical support required. The attention of staff and management cannot be faulted, albeit they must occasionally be under extreme pressure, however a happy and pleasing atmosphere always seems to exist.
All staff are friendly, nice and they do what you ask them to do. Nothing is too much trouble.
The care has been exceptional, the home is clean. I cannot smell anything malodorous. It is like coming home. It has a lovely atmosphere.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 28 February 2024Requires improvement
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveRequires improvement
- SafeRequires improvement
- Well-ledRequires improvement
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (12) & Events (0)
- 25 Feb 2026
Blackthorns Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, was filled with laughter, warmth and the delicious smell of freshly made pancakes as residents and staff came together to celebrate...
- 28 Jan 2026
Blackthorns Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, has proudly launched its very own in-house post office, creating a meaningful and practical new feature that allows residents to post...
- 02 Jan 2026
Blackthorns Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, welcomed residents and their loved ones on 20 December 2025 for a special Christmas meal, bringing families together to celebrate the...
There are no upcoming events for Blackthorns.
Awards / Recognitions (11)
- 01 Apr 2026Recipient: Blackthorns
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Runwood Homes Ltd
- 31 Jan 2025Recipient: Runwood Homes Ltd
Meet the Team (4)

Hi, I’m Alex Ile, and I’m currently the Deputy Manager at Runwood Homes, having rejoined the team in July 2024. I truly enjoy the caring side of my job, especially meeting new people, working with different organisations, and tackling the day-to-day challenges that come with it. As a registered nurse, this role is a great opportunity to continue making a positive impact on people’s lives.
I’m all about bringing joy to the workplace—I love making people laugh and being jolly, often cracking jokes at my own expense! Outside of work, I’m a fan of going to the gym to stay active, and I have a keen interest in computers and watching documentaries. Life is all about balance, and I like to keep things both fun and focused.

My name is Kinga Polak-Choat, and I am the Home Administrator at Runwood, where I started in August 2024. Although I am new to this role, every day brings something different. I have the opportunity to meet new people regularly and continuously learn and grow in this position.
I hold a master's degree in management and marketing, which has helped me transition into this role. Before joining Runwood, I spent 9 years working as a bookkeeper, collaborating with various businesses across different sectors. This experience has shaped my approach to organisation and problem-solving in my current role.
Outside of work, I’m known as the "food monster" at home, as I love to cook and eat! I enjoy spending time with my friends and family and taking walks with my dog. When I find the time, I also make it a point to attend body combat classes to stay active.

Hi, I’m Andras, the Head Chef at Runwood Homes since September 2023. I have a passion for cooking and baking, and I truly enjoy creating delicious meals for our residents. One of the highlights of my day is interacting with residents during meal times, as it brings a personal touch to what I do.
I’m proud to share that I won the Chef of the Year 2023 award, a milestone that reflects my dedication to my craft.
Outside of the kitchen, I love playing football, going fishing, and savouring a good cup of coffee—because life is always better with coffee!

Hi, I’m Teri, and I’m proud to be a Housekeeper at Blackthorns. I joined Runwood in 2021, and in 2023, I stepped into my current role. I’m passionate about maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and take great pride in ensuring our home is welcoming and comfortable for everyone.
Building meaningful relationships with residents and their families is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. I love contributing to a positive environment where everyone feels cared for and valued.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my house rabbit, Barnabi, who always keeps life interesting! I’m also a fan of holidays and cherish opportunities to relax and explore new places.
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