Rated Care Homes

Halcyon Days

G

Good

Rated on

Rating from the Care Quality Commission.

At a glance

  • 4 ratings

    Rated Good at every inspection since 2017.

  • 4 months

    since the latest rating was published.

  • 153 of 210

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

Halcyon Days: inspection record

Care home, 57 beds, Hertfordshire

Rated Good in June 2026.

Halcyon Days: 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
    Pinelodge Care Home Requires improvement, 0.7 miles away
  2. G
  3. G
    Wisden Court Good, 1.4 miles away
  4. G
    Martins House Good, 1.5 miles away
  5. G
    Julians House Good, 1.5 miles away

See all care homes in Hertfordshire

What inspectors found

From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 9 June 2026 (assessment visit 26 March 2026). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.

Date of Inspection:14 April to 18 May 2026. This inspection was unannounced.

Halcyon Days is a care home providing accommodation and personal care for 50 people some of whom were living with dementia.They are registered to provide care for up to 57 people.

  • Safe Good
  • Well-led Good
Read the rest of CQC's summary

At our last inspection, we rated this service as good (published 8 September 2024).

A review of feedback we had received in relation to risks and information we held about the service was completed. As a result, a decision was made to carry out a responsive inspection of safe and well led. At our last inspection, well led was rated as requires improvement. At this inspection, well led has improved to good.

There was positive feedback about the registered manager and the running of the service.There were systems in place to improve people’s lives and experiences.The management team spent time checking on staff practice providing support and guidance. People,relatives and staff were positive about their presence,guidance and approach.Some governance systems needed further improvement to ensure they identified areas needing addressing.

Pressure care oversight and management needed more robust oversight to ensure people received the right support and records were accurate.

Medicines management systems were in place and managed well in most cases. There was some development needed in relation to some recording methods.Checks were in place to help ensure records were clear and accurate,but the need for more robust recording in relation to patches or amendments had not been identified.This was implemented following our feedback.

Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns relating to abuse. Information was available and safeguarding concerns were reported appropriately.

Infection prevention and control was practiced in most cases, however some staff needed to be reminded to wash their hands rather than solely using gloves.There was action taken to address this following our feedback.

People,relatives and staff had opportunities for sharing their views. People’s choices were sought, and they were supported in accordance with their wishes and needs.People, and their relatives where appropriate,were involved with people’s care planning and reviews.

People had appropriate access to health and social care support services.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and staff felt they were able to provide a person-centred approach.However,some people and relatives told us staff were busy and felt more staff were needed at times.to allow for more time with people.We found there were some areas of care that were missed.For example, hair brushing and replacing of bedding.We discussed with the management team the need for governance systems to monitor these areas.Staff were positive about the service they provided, the management team and liked working at the home.

  1. Safe

    Good

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

    At the last inspection, we rated this key questionas good.At thisinspectionthis key question hasremainedthe same. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

  2. 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 the last inspection, we rated this key question asrequires improvement. At thisinspectionthis key question hasimprovedtogood.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. Ask to see the most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report and what the home did about any points in it.
  2. Visit at different times of day, including a mealtime.

Registration details

Registered manager
Nichola Hughes
Registered with the CQC since
What it provides
Care home service without nursing
Who it supports
Dementia, Older People, Younger Adults

Inspection report

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

3 inspection reports, latest 4 March 2022. Latest assessment published 9 June 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
GCH (Hertfordshire) LtdBrand: Gold Care Homes
Ownership type
Organisation
Companies House number
10555728 (opens Companies House)

GCH (Hertfordshire) Ltd runs 5 services, all in the East of England. 5 are rated Good or Outstanding.

Other services run by GCH (Hertfordshire) Ltd

  1. G
    Autumn Vale Care Centre Good. Care home with nursing, Hertfordshire
  2. G
    Heath Lodge Good. Care home with nursing, Hertfordshire
  3. G
    Martins House Good. Care home, Hertfordshire
  4. G
    Queensway House Good. Care home with nursing, Hertfordshire

Getting help from Hertfordshire 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 Halcyon Days provide nursing care?
No. The Care Quality Commission lists Halcyon Days as a care home without nursing.
How many beds does Halcyon Days have?
The Care Quality Commission's register lists 57 beds at Halcyon Days.
When was Halcyon Days last inspected?
The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Halcyon Days was published on 9 June 2026.
Who runs Halcyon Days?
Halcyon Days is run by GCH (Hertfordshire) Ltd. It runs 5 services, all in the East of England.
What is Halcyon Days's CQC rating?
Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Good, published on 9 June 2026.

Contact

Phone
01438 362245
Address
The Old Rectory, Church Lane, Graveley, Hitchin, SG4 7LU Map (opens Google Maps)
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)

Compare nearby

  1. RI
    Pinelodge Care Home Requires improvement, 0.7 miles away
  2. G
  3. G
    Wisden Court Good, 1.4 miles away
  4. G
    Martins House Good, 1.5 miles away
  5. G
    Julians House Good, 1.5 miles away

See all care homes in Hertfordshire