Handford House

27a Cumberland Street, Ipswich IP1 3PA
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8.7 81 Reviews
  • Handford House, Ipswich
Located in the oldest Anglo-Saxon town in England, Ipswich in Suffolk, Handford House takes a holistic approach to providing outstanding care to local residents that have nursing, respite, dementia or palliative care needs. The passionate team take pride in providing a warm, welcoming and friendly care offering and embody the ethos of dignity and respect for residents at all times.

The home is specifically designed to provide a comfortable, accessible and safe respite for residents. Whether it may be the many communal areas (either tailored for groups, or quieter areas), the two patio areas or the well-kept colourful gardens, Handford House has space suitable for every one’s needs. The home boasts dedicated lounges for activities, an in-house hair salon and a sensory room.

Dedicated and tailored activities include, but are not limited to, mind body and soul sessions, book club, movement to music and shopping trips. The activities coordinator also works to ensure that activities are personalised and to each individual’s needs and wishes.

Accommodation is arranged over two floors offering 52 bedrooms that are able to be personalised to each resident’s wishes. Rooms come fully furnished, ready for residents to personalise and make them their own. Equally, the home encourages residents to bring their own furniture to make their room feel like a home-from home, should they wish to. The garden offers a garden pod, well-kept flower beds and patios and quiet spots for residents to enjoy their own company or enjoy an afternoon tea.

Handford House has a passionate and enthusiastic team and has a reputable long-standing relationship with the wider community.
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Care Provided by Handford House

Primary Care Categories

  • Older Person Care
  • Dementia
  • Physical Disability
  • Younger Adults

Length of Stay

  • Permanent Care
  • Respite Care

Care Types Provided

  • Residential Care
  • Nursing Care
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • Dementia Nursing Care
  • For a maximum of 52 Service Users

Dementia Care Types

  • Mild Dementia
  • Moderate Dementia
  • Advanced/Complex Dementia

Other Care Provided

  • Palliative / End of Life Care
  • Day Care

Facilities

  • Own Furniture if required
  • Close to Local shops
  • Near Public Transport
  • Minibus or other transport
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair Access
  • Gardens
  • Television point in own room
  • Residents Internet Access

Funding & Fees What's included?

Weekly Charges per Person

  • Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1500
  • Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: from £1500
  • Self-Funded Nursing Care: from £1500
  • Self-Funded Nursing Dementia Care: from £1500
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1600
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Dementia Care: from £1600
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Care: from £1600
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Dementia Care: from £1600
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Handford House for full pricing details and T&Cs.

Contact Handford House 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)

Support you may be entitled to

If you chose a care home based in England, you may be eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC), which helps cover the cost of nursing. This is worth £267.68 per week and is usually paid directly to the care home.

Contact Handford House to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:

Good to Know

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Agnieszka McDonald (Home Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Information

  • Ages 50+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: Yes

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (52)
  • Single Rooms with Ensuite Wet Room (32)

Handford House Reviews (81)

8.7

Handford House has a Review Score of 8.7 (8.663) out of 10, based on 17 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Handford House has 81 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 49
  • 25
  • 0
  • 0
  • 7
Date Published
  • 81
  • 3
  • 6
  • 17
  • 64
Reviewer Connection to Handford House
  • 18
  • 14
  • 12
  • 8
  • 5
  • 4
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
Total of 81, showing 81-81
Review from Michael S (Son of Resident) published on 12 October 2015 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My mother moved to Handford House early April 2015 after spending 6 weeks in Ipswich hospital where she was being treated for a very serious stroke. She needed 24 hour care. She couldn't do anything for herself and could only communicate in a very basic manner. Most days when visiting we were unsure
whether she was aware of us being there or not. However all the staff at Handford house, whatever their position, treated mum with great care and respect, as if she was fully aware and involved in day to day life. So much so that one day when we were visiting, she managed to say just one thing, and that was, "They make a fuss of me here" Sadly she died peacefully in the early hours of June 30th. I would say that everyone at Handford House made mum's last weeks as good as they could be.
  • Facilities
  • Care / Support
  • Cleanliness
  • Treated with Dignity
  • Food & Drink
  • Staff
  • Activities
  • Management
  • Safety / Security
  • Rooms
  • Value for Money
Current Review Score: 8.7 (8.663)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.7 (8.663) out of 10 for Handford House is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 3.8 out of 5 from 17 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.8 out of 5 from 13 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 3.838 for Handford House is calculated as follows: ( (116 Excellents x 5) + (28 Goods x 4) + (7 Satisfactorys x 3) + (47 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 198 Ratings = 3.838
  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 4.825 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Handford House is based on 13 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 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 3.825
    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 52 registered maximum number of service users is 10.4, which has been reached with 13 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: 19 Mar 2025

Overall Good

  • Caring Good
  • Effective Good
  • Responsive Good
  • Safe Good
  • Well-led Requires improvement
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 (10)

Meet the Team (4)

Agnieszka

Agnieszka McDonald

Job Title: Home Manager

I’m passionate about building meaningful relationships with residents and their families, and creating a warm, safe, and supportive environment where everyone feels valued. I take pride in making a positive difference each day by bringing comfort, dignity, and moments of joy to residents’ lives, while supporting their overall well-being. I hold an NVQ Level 3 qualification and am committed to delivering high-quality care at Handford House.

Nicholas

Nicholas Pearkes

Job Title: Activities Coordinator Joined: 2025

I enjoy the sense of achievement that comes from interacting with residents and getting to know each of them personally. I like to involve residents in decision-making and conversations, and I’ve already introduced activities such as hand and nail care, quizzes, and games of dominoes. I also take time to speak with families to better understand each resident’s needs and interests. I hold a Diploma in Dementia Awareness and a GNVQ Level 2 in Customer Service, which supports me in providing thoughtful and engaging care.

Andy

Andy Crack

Job Title: Maintenance

Andy decided to work at Healthcare Homes as he wished to do something different. Prior to joining Healthcare Homes he was a maintenance handyman.
He believes, to be good in his role you need to enjoy your job. The
favourite part of his day is in the morning when everyone is up and smiling. The qualities he thinks make him stand out are he is hard working, and is always there to help
Outside of work he is a season ticket holder at Ipswich Football Club and he loves going to the cinema.
He looks forward to going in to Handford House and seeing the residents smiling. They have a good team at Handford House.

Jennifer

Jennifer Adams

Job Title: Administrator Joined: 2025

I enjoy the daily interaction with staff, residents, and their families in such a warm and inviting atmosphere. I always greet everyone with a friendly smile, helping to create a welcoming environment where residents and visitors feel at ease.

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