The Firs

83 Church Road, Locks Heath, Southampton SO31 6LS
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9.4 16 Reviews
  • The Firs, Southampton
The Firs specialises in residential care and offers light and airy rooms.

The Firs offers a communal area with a light and airy setting and a spacious dining room. The communal area feature a lounge with a courtyard and a tv/activities area, where residents can enjoy the company of fellow residents, visiting friends and family.

The garden has a large patio area and raised garden beds with a lovely water feature. They have a BBQ facility that is used for garden events.

All food is cooked on site and uses fresh local produce to ensure the nutritional needs of each resident are met. The cooks prepare delicious meals and snacks for residents to enjoy in the social dining area or in the comfort of their own room. They have 5 weeks of planned food menus and they are regularly reviewed to suit preference and diet of the residents. They have themed days where they enjoy cuisine from all over the world.

The dedicated care team at The Firs understands that every resident is different. Care planning is personalised and centred on each individual resident's needs. The relaxed and informal environment of The Firs makes the perfect home from home for residents, families and friends alike.

Respite care packages are also available at The Firs for people who need everyday care and support when carers need a respite break, or for people who need extra care and support during a recuperation period after an illness or hospital discharge.

The home is fully accessible, with a lift for those with mobility issues, and nurse call systems throughout every room in the home providing a round-the-clock service.
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Care Provided by The Firs

Primary Care Categories

  • Older Person Care
  • Dementia
  • Learning Disability / Autism
  • Mental Health Condition
  • Visual / Hearing Impairment

Length of Stay

  • Permanent Care
  • Respite Care

Care Types Provided

  • Residential Care
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 22 Service Users

Dementia Care Types

  • Mild Dementia
  • Moderate Dementia

Other Care Provided

  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Stroke
  • Palliative / End of Life Care
  • COPD/Pulmonary Disease

Facilities

  • Own Furniture if required
  • Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
  • Smoking not permitted
  • Close to Local shops
  • Near Public Transport
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair Access
  • Gardens
  • Phone Point in own room
  • Television point in own room
  • Residents Internet Access

Funding & Fees What's included?

Weekly Charges per Person

  • Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: £1420 – £1450
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact The Firs for full pricing details and T&Cs.

Contact The Firs 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)

Contact The Firs to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:

Good to Know

Owner

  • Caldwell Group Ltd
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Kerry Colbourne (Registered Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Information

  • Ages 65+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: Yes
  • Last Refurbishment: 2005
  • Number of floors: 2

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (16)
  • Couples/Companion Rooms (3)
  • Single Rooms with Ensuite Wet Room (3)
  • Couples/Companion Rooms with Ensuite Wet Room (3)

Visiting

  • Any time.

Parking

  • Ample parking available.

The Firs Reviews (16)

9.4

The Firs has a Review Score of 9.4 (9.350) out of 10, based on 7 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Firs has 16 reviews.

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Total of 16, showing 1-16
Review from Lynne M (Daughter of Resident) published on 26 June 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My mother has been treated with the utmost respect and care by the Firs staff during the 18 months she has been a resident. Living overseas and unable to visit often it has given me piece of mind to know she is safe & well looked after. When I request live chats online the staff ensure mums tablet
is charged and she is ready. As she has dementia and her deafness make hearing me on the tablet difficult they help her to talk to me.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you so much for your lovely review, your mum is a lovely lady with a fabulous personality we enjoy taking care of her.
I will share your lovely comments with all the staff.
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Review from Maria L (Daughter of Resident) published on 25 June 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My mother was at the Firs for approximately 3 years before she passed away at the beginning on May 2026. During her time there, The Firs provided a safe, caring, friendly and dignified haven for my mum who was suffering from vascular dementia. Every member of staff from the manager and care staff to
the cooks and domestic staff engaged with myself and my mum and made her time there comfortable and happy. In her final weeks, I was welcomed with open arms, met with hugs and food if I needed it, nothing was too much trouble. I can't thank the staff enough for their patience, care and professionalism. The Firs is a truly special place, with staff who go above and beyond for your loved one.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you so much for this beautiful review, It was a pleasure taking care of your mum she was a lovely lady.
I will pass your lovely words on to the team.
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Review from D L (Nephew of Resident) published on 18 June 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My aunt is very happy at The Firs. All her needs are catered for. All the staff treat residents with dignity and respect. The varied menu has something for everyone. Family members are kept up to date with Dr's reviews.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you so much! such a lovely review, I will pass your lovely comments on to the staff.
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Review from Sharon S (Daughter of Resident) published on 18 June 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I feel very happy and comfortable with the home, knowing my mum is in safe and capable hands. Every member of staff has been wonderful with mum. I can't thank you all enough .Mum has had trouble settling in and all the staff have done everything to make her feel comfortable.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you for the lovely review its always appreciated to know we are providing the best care and support for our residents and their families.
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Review from P B (Daughter of Resident) published on 31 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My Mum has resided at The Firs for a few months and has settled in well. The lovely staff are warm, welcoming with a caring manner and no question is too silly. There is an open-door policy, and it never feels inconvenient when we pop in. It's especially lovely that we can take my little granddaughter
in, she's welcomed by all and there's always a spark in Mum's eyes when she sees her.
Mum transferred directly from hospital care to The Firs and although her dementia is worsening, we have seen an improvement in her wellbeing, she is eating regularly and being looked after extremely well. She enjoys the food and comments on how delicious it is, particularly the puddings. Mum takes part in various activities and is socialising every day, rather than staying in her room, which is wonderful.
The Firs is a small care home with good facilities, a family-friendly atmosphere providing efficient, effective and personalised care. Our family are very happy The Firs is a 'good fit' for Mum.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you for the lovely comments, I will feed these back to the team.
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Review from S M (Sister of Resident) published on 16 July 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I have found the care provided for my brother to be generally good. During the occasional visit, I have noted that he was unshaven. This, of course, could be a result of his behaviour/attitude. He seems to be very keen on puddings and not too keen on savoury. It would be helpful if the staff could encourage/support
him in losing a few pounds. I think it would be beneficial for him to get outside more, even if it was just to the garden. A day trip would be even better.
Despite being very busy, the staff make an effort to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere during visits. A couple of extra staff would be helpful in increasing the conviviality even further. He recently suffered a fall on the care home drive, not a fault of the staff, indeed they should be commended for promptly calling the emergency services and myself and endeavouring to care for him as best they could in the circumstances.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you for sharing your valuable feedback with us. I would appreciate it if you could spare some time to discuss your comments with me further to enable us to make sure we are providing the best care and service. Thank you.
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Review from F H (Daughter of Resident) published on 12 July 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My mum has been in their care since March 2022 and has been comfortable, warm and entertained. All her needs are catered for and to my surprise, she doesn't stay in her room but sits in the various spaces in their communal area. I think this shows how much thought is put into each resident and their
specific requirements.
I live close by and visit regularly unannounced and have always had a friendly welcome.
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Review from A L (Daughter of Resident) published on 24 June 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My father moved into The Firs approximately 8 weeks ago. We are amazed by the change in him, he is eating well and tells us the meals are lovely. He has gained a little weight and has his colour back and has told us the staff treat him like a King. Our opinion of The Firs so far is positive and we are
happy that he has settled so easily thanks to the staff and management.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you for the lovely compliments, I will feed this back to the team.
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Review from Pauline P (Wife of Resident) published on 7 May 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The Firs treat my husband like one of the family. Nothing is too much trouble and I feel so much better knowing that he is being looked after so well. I'm so glad I chose The Firs.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you for the lovely review Pauline, I will pass your comments on to the team.
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Review from E J (Daughter of Resident) published on 6 January 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I attended the Christmas pantomime held for residents, family and friends. The staff were welcoming and communal areas were decorated, offering a homely festive ambience. The chef provided an ample and varied buffet, excellent. The residents participated in the panto responses, seeming to enjoy the
experience. Staff were attentive and engaged well with residents. As a family, we are happy with the home The Firs have provided her.
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Review from Michael M (Brother-in-law of Resident) published on 27 December 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My brother-in-law has been a resident since August 2022. He has settled in well with the help of the caring and helpful staff. We attended the Christmas party today and it was heartening to see the effort the staff had gone to. They made the day fun and really enjoyable for all the residents. The food
was excellent and bountiful. It is clearly evident that the staff are hardworking and caring. They know all the residents as individuals and treat them accordingly. The Firs has a warm, welcoming and caring atmosphere.
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Review from John W (Son of Resident) published on 15 December 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Dad has been at The Firs since 3rd February 2022. He has settled in well. I am able to visit any day and take him out of the home. Since he has been staying at The Firs he manages to continue his routines very well. All the staff have an excellent attitude and he is in a very happy place.
Reply from Kerry Colbourne, Manager at The FirsThank you for taking the time to complete a review of the home and your lovely comments, I will pass these on to the team.
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Review from Sarah J (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 1 July 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Staff are always friendly and helpful. we are kept well informed on any changes with Mum. Mum is well looked after.
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Review from Robert F (Son of Resident) published on 26 June 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Cannot fault the care my dad has received from the excellent team who are friendly and accommodating to visitors. As you can see from the categories, we are very impressed.
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Review from B L (Daughter of Resident) published on 26 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
It is always such a difficult decision for anyone to have to make to put a relative in a care home. Between myself and Social Services, that decision had to be made on behalf of my mum. Unfortunately, she has dementia and for her own safety and wellbeing, moved into The Firs last August. From my first
visit being shown around by a member of the staff, I knew The Firs would be the best place for her and that if she was in the right state of mind, she would have chosen for herself. I cannot fault the staff, the whole team are extremely helpful, caring and compassionate. This is definitely not a job that I would be able to do! I do feel reassured knowing that my mum receives the care and attention that she needs and deserves.
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Review from Ian L (Son of Resident) published on 5 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My dad lived at The Firs for two and a half years. During that time he received excellent care from the hard-working staff there. More than that, the staff went out of their way to accommodate my mum who visited him and were always friendly and considerate. During the pandemic, the staff and the owner
were fantastic. All families were kept up to date via zoom meetings and there was not a single case or death at the home due to Covid. We were able to ‘see’ Dad via video calls and they kept the residents safe, well looked after and opened up visiting just as soon as they were able. The well-being of the residents has always appeared to be their top concern and I cannot recommend this home highly enough. A heartfelt thank you from myself and on behalf of my parents.
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Current Review Score: 9.4 (9.350)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.4 (9.350) out of 10 for The Firs is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 7 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.6 out of 5 from 7 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:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.750 for The Firs is calculated as follows: ( (68 Excellents x 5) + (11 Goods x 4) + (5 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 84 Ratings = 4.75
  2. 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 4.6 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Firs is based on 7 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 = 3.6
    2. 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 22 registered maximum number of service users is 4.4, which has been reached with 7 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. 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: 7 Jul 2022

Overall Good

  • Caring Good
  • Effective Good
  • Responsive Good
  • Safe Good
  • Well-led Good
Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England. View Latest Report

Bed Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (0)

Meet the Team (0)

There are no team members posted.

Frequently Asked Questions about The Firs

What types of Care is The Firs registered for?

Older Person Care, Dementia, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health Condition & Visual / Hearing Impairment are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.

How many Rooms does The Firs have?

There are 16 Single Rooms and 3 Couples/Companion Rooms.

What are the Facilities & Services at The Firs?

Own Furniture if required, Pet Friendly (or by arrangement), Smoking not permitted, Close to Local shops, Near Public Transport, Lift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Phone Point in own room, Television point in own room & Residents Internet Access are some of the Facilities & Services.

How far is The Firs to the centre of Southampton?

6.8 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 The Firs to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Firs has an Enhanced Service - more info.