Rated Care Homes

Applecroft Care Home

G

Good

Rated on

Rating from the Care Quality Commission.

At a glance

  • 4 ratings

    First rated Requires improvement in 2015, most recently Good in April 2026.

  • 6 months

    since the latest rating was published.

  • 332 of 445

    rated care homes in Kent are rated Good, like this one.

Applecroft Care Home: inspection record

Care home with nursing, 75 beds, Kent

Rated Good in April 2026.

Applecroft Care Home: inspection record: inspection ratings by year, 2015 to 2026
201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Overall
Safe
Effective
Caring
Responsive
Well-led

Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.

Compare nearby

  1. RI
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  2. G
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  3. RI
    Ivy Bank Residential Care Home Requires improvement, 0.4 miles away
  4. I
    Temple Ewell Nursing Home Inadequate, 0.4 miles away
  5. G
    Swerford House Good, 0.5 miles away

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What inspectors found

From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 14 April 2026 (assessment visit 22 December 2025). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.

We carried out this assessment between 3 February and 24 February 2026. Applecroft Care Home is a residential service providing nursing support to older people and people living with dementia. The service is registered to accommodate 75 people and at the time of our assessment there were 63 people living at the service. The service is divided into 5 units and can accommodate up to 15 people on each unit. Discovery is on the ground floor, Blossom and Permain on the middle floor and Russet and Pippin on the top floor.

  • Safe No rating
  • Effective Good
  • Caring Good
  • Responsive Good
  • Well-led Good
Read the rest of CQC's summary

We completed this assessment due to concerns we received about the culture and governance of the service. We found there was a positive culture and a new management team who were starting to make changes to the service. We identified some shortfalls in the management of medicines, staff guidance on moving and handling and providing a suitable environment for people living with dementia. The provider acknowledged these shortfalls, used them as lessons learned and was taking actions to help minimise them reoccurring.

People and their relatives were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Although staff knew how to move people safely, some guidance for staff in using equipment lacked some essential detail. This was addressed during the assessment.

People’s eating and drinking was adapted according to their needs and reviewed to ensure they had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff and nurses monitored people’s health and ensured they attended medical appointments. We found some shortfalls when people had been prescribed medicines covertly and in monitoring stock to ensure it remained in date. The provider took actions to address these shortfalls including investigations into the root cause and learning lessons when things had not gone according to plan.

Staff treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. A relative told us, “The home have met him where he is.” Staff could identify when people got anxious or upset and understood how to calm people.

The management team were visible and had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and received appropriate training.

  1. Safe

    No rating

    Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

    At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.

  2. Effective

    Good

    Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

    At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

  3. Caring

    Good

    Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

    At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

  4. Responsive

    Good

    Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

    At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

  5. Well-led

    Good

    Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

    At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

Questions to ask when you visit

  1. Safe was rated Requires improvement on 14 April 2026. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
  2. Ask how nursing cover works at night and at weekends.
  3. Ask to see the most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report and what the home did about any points in it.

Registration details

Registered with the CQC since
What it provides
Care home service with nursing
Who it supports
Dementia, Older People

Inspection report

Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)

13 inspection reports, latest 3 March 2022. Latest assessment published 14 April 2026; the Care Quality Commission's newer assessments are published on its website rather than as reports.

The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.

Who runs it

Provider
Applecroft Care Home LtdBrand: Abbey Healthcare
Ownership type
Organisation
Companies House number
04848475 (opens Companies House)

Getting help from Kent County Council

The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.

Checked on the council's website, November 2026.

Common questions

Does Applecroft Care Home provide nursing care?
Yes. The Care Quality Commission lists Applecroft Care Home as a care home with nursing.
How many beds does Applecroft Care Home have?
The Care Quality Commission's register lists 75 beds at Applecroft Care Home.
When was Applecroft Care Home last inspected?
The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Applecroft Care Home was published on 14 April 2026.
Who runs Applecroft Care Home?
Applecroft Care Home is run by Applecroft Care Home Ltd.
What is Applecroft Care Home's CQC rating?
Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Good, published on 14 April 2026.

Contact

Phone
01304 821331
Address
Sanctuary Close, River, Dover, CT17 0ER Map (opens Google Maps)
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)

Compare nearby

  1. RI
    Woodside Residential Care Home Requires improvement, 0.2 miles away
  2. G
    Riverlea House Good, 0.3 miles away
  3. RI
    Ivy Bank Residential Care Home Requires improvement, 0.4 miles away
  4. I
    Temple Ewell Nursing Home Inadequate, 0.4 miles away
  5. G
    Swerford House Good, 0.5 miles away

See all care homes in Kent

See all care homes in Whitfield