Kernow House Care Centre - Barchester Healthcare

08/09/2025

Our Tell Barchester Annual Survey is LIVE!

For the 5th consecutive year, our annual customer satisfaction survey Tell Barchester is OPEN!

The survey gives our residents, patients, their friends and family the opportunity to tell us how they feel about their experience, helping us learn, improve and celebrate what people love about life at Barchester.

Residents and patients are able to complete the survey with our teams, invitations to take part are emailed to all friends & family members we have contact details for – have you received yours? It’s also possible to take part in our homes and hospitals using the QR posters on display.

Tell Barchester is quick and simple to complete, your time is much appreciated and this feedback shapes the care and service received across Barchester.

In the meantime, if you have feedback you would like to share you can talk to us at any point, our door is always open.

05/09/2025

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!!!

On Eat an Extra Dessert Day – oh, yes, it is an actual day in the Days of the Year calendar – we raided the main kitchen to see what we could find. As it’s time for apple harvest, we had the idea of making toffee apples with a twist. Slices of apple were covered in toffee sauce and decorated creatively before their were swiftly eaten. The word ‘dessert’ comes from the French word ‘desservir’, which means to clear the table. We did just that. There was not one tiny crumb left.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

04/09/2025

⭐ LaingBuisson 2025 Award Finalist ⭐

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been shortlisted for the ‘Care Home Group of the Year’ category at the prestigious LaingBuisson Awards.

Now in their 20th year, the awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the UK health and social care industry.

With more than 400 entries submitted across each category, being named a finalist is a real honour.

This recognition is a true reflection of the dedication, hard work and compassion of all our teams and colleagues across Barchester – a big thank you for everything they do each day! 👏

The winners will be announced on the 20th November 2025 at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London.

LaingBuisson LaingBuisson News

03/09/2025

✨🎭 Bringing the Fringe to Strachan House ✨🎵

Residents, families and visitors at Strachan House Care Home in enjoyed an afternoon of fantastic performances as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Care Fest.

Now in its third year, the Fringe Care Fest brings the magic of the Fringe directly to care home residents who can no longer visit the festival venues.

Talented singer and pianist Jacqui Randa warmed up the crowd with her excellent keyboard skills and cheeky anecdotes. After a short break for more prosecco in the sun, everyone relaxed to the wonderful voice of Duane Forrest.

It was an amazing experience, complete with a special party menu from the home’s kitchen team, plenty of drinks – and of course, lots of dancing.

A big thank you to all involved in making this event such a success. 👏

03/09/2025

The school’s summer holidays are nearly over, so we just had time for another visit from Dude from The Hugs Foundation.

We just love having Dude here and we think he loves coming because he can find his way around and goes happily to the residents who like seeing him. Soon Dude will have to go back to his every day job and we will hopefully have visits from the school children again but Dude has promised to visit us again in the school holidays throughout the coming year.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

02/09/2025

⭐ A Perfect 10! ⭐

We’re thrilled to share that Iverley View Care Home in has received a 10 out of 10 score on the independent care home reviews site, carehome.co.uk, after a series of glowing reviews.

This fantastic achievement places Iverley View 7th out of 7,238 care homes across England and 1st in their county.

A big thank you to the team who work incredibly hard to provide the highest standard of care and support to residents and their families. Truly well deserved. 👏

.co.uk

01/09/2025

What a great afternoon we had with the The Hurdy Gurdies - A '60s Experience.

The band came to play 60’s music for us and there was a real party atmosphere. Being a Friday Kernow Keg was there and as it was the last Friday in the month, it was also Treat Day. Just goodies and joy all around. Residents, friends, families and staff joined in to make it a great party and it’s wonderful to see how many new friendships are made, when we sing and dance together.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

29/08/2025

🐾 Residents Welcome Furry Friends 🐾

Our care homes and hospitals recently marked National Dog Day in style by hosting a range of activities for all to enjoy, including dog shows, pet therapy sessions and community events.

From four-legged companions to wagging tails and friendly competitions, it was a wonderful day that brought joy and smiles to everyone.

Take a look at some of our favourite moments. ✨

28/08/2025

The wonderful Graham from Drums4Fun CIC came to deliver his award winning percussion workshop.

As always, there was singing and dancing and as Graham brought lots and lots of percussion instruments, there was plenty of loud rhythm, shaking of maracas and beating of the drums. A good afternoon for all the budding musicians.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

27/08/2025

⭐ Champions of Care: The Care Quality Leaders Network ⭐

We’re delighted to share that Sue Sheath, our Director of Regulation and Quality Improvement, has been featured in this month’s Caring Times magazine for her work founding the Care Quality Leaders Network.

In June, the network held its first face-to-face conference entitled ‘Innovating Care Quality: Leadership in Action’ in London, bringing together colleagues from across the adult social care sector.

What began as a small group of providers meeting informally before the pandemic has grown under Sue’s leadership into a thriving network of over 90 organisations – from large operators to mid-sized and smaller providers nationwide – all united by a shared commitment to champion high-quality care.

Sue commented: “I am so proud of how this group has grown over the last five years into an incredible supportive network with real influence. I was keen to create an opportunity for the group to meet face to face to hear from some of the biggest names in the sector about the challenges and opportunities we face and share ideas and best practice. I would like to thank all our generous partners such as Radar Healthcare, Care Launch and Nourish Care, who made this event possible.”

We’re so proud of Sue for her hard work in creating this fantastic network and for running such a successful event that brought together so many excellent minds! 👏

26/08/2025

📸 World Photography Day 🌟

Recently, residents and patients up and down the country celebrated World Photography Day with flair and creativity.

Throughout the day, everyone enjoyed a range of themed activities and art sessions, from crafting photo books and collages to participating in professional photoshoots and capturing images of their favourite objects and subjects.

It was also a wonderful opportunity for all to reflect on past experiences by looking at treasured photographs and sharing happy memories.

Take a look at some of our favourite moments.

24/08/2025

Male Voice Choir came to sing summer songs for us.

The men went on tour throughout the home so everyone had a chance to hear them sing and join in. Resident Ambassador Richard welcomed them and made sure they got to the right places to sing. It was a real treat and we are so lucky to have people in our community who are happy to come to us and support us with having such wonderful experiences.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

22/08/2025

✨🏍️ Speedway Wish Granted 🏍️✨

This week, the team at Hickathrift House Care Home in was delighted to grant another special wish through their ‘Post a Wish’ initiative – a visit to the King's Lynn Speedway - the Home of the Stars.

It was a fantastic experience, with riders kindly taking time to chat and reminisce with a resident about past races and bikes. The Speedway team ensured the evening was special, welcoming everyone on arrival and making the visit unforgettable.

Residents truly enjoyed sitting in the front row, cheering on the riders and sharing stories of speedway events gone by.

A big thank you to all involved in making this trip possible. 👏

King's Lynn Stars

21/08/2025

🤩 Adventure Day Out for Mortain Place Residents 🤩

Residents at Mortain Place Care Home in enjoyed an unforgettable day at Knockhatch Adventure Park.

From speeding around the go-kart track and meeting extraordinary animals to splashing down the water slides, it was a day full of fun.

To make the trip even more special, residents and colleagues were joined by Malcolm from ITV News Meridian, who captured the excitement on camera and spoke to the residents about their experiences.

The team at Mortain Place believe days like this are an important way to enrich the lives of residents, creating lasting memories for all involved.

Take a look at the fantastic broadcast coverage below! 👇

Watch the latest from ITV News - Barchester Mortain Place in Eastbourne takes its residents on day trips to an adventure park with activities such as go-karting and water slides

20/08/2025

Huge congratulations and thank you to Abbie for completing her Tough Mudder UK challenge. The pictures tell how hard it was and also how much fun. When Abbie came in to show her Grandad her medal, he was clearly very proud of her.

Abbie raised an astonishing amount: £2504. A HUGE thank you to everybody who has supported her fundraising for Petherwin.
Abbie has asked for the money to be spent on the quadrangle garden on Petherwin so it can be an even better place for families to visit their loved ones. As the garden will need some structural work soon, our gardener has suggested outdoor musical instruments as the ideal choice as they are interactive, fun and can easily be repositioned when work starts on the garden in the future.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

19/08/2025

🦆📚 A Quacking Good Story from Atfield House 📚🦆

We’re excited to share that Atfield House Care Home in , London has launched their very own children’s storybook, inspired by a much-loved tradition and their nature-loving residents.

Each year, a duck named Hope visits the home’s garden to lay her eggs – a heart-warming event that has been taking place for many years. The experience sparks engagement, evokes memories and offers meaningful comfort to residents, supporting emotional and cognitive wellbeing with every quiet waddle.

After speaking with residents, families and colleagues, the team decided to capture the tale in a beautifully illustrated book.
The home looks forward to sharing the storybook with visitors and children from local schools – a great opportunity to spread the joy of this charming tradition.

You can explore their delightful storybook here 👇https://online.flippingbook.com/view/503801204/

18/08/2025

We’re thrilled to say that Ashlee who is a nurse working on Millaton, has been awarded Employee of the Month!

Comments included “Goes above and beyond and will help out with anything, so much compassion for residents”. “Always willing to help, nothing is too much. Wonderful nurse, really good with residents”. “Always helping out the carers without us asking- Always positive and looking out for others”. Huge congratulations to Ashlee and well done.

Other nominees: Wendy, Tony , Daniel, Sarah, Belita (St Pirans) Dorota, Tope, Madi, Innocent, Jo V, Jo B, Delia, Rachel, Meg (Mill) David, Stuart, (Peth) Helen ( Housekeeping) . Jackie( O.T)

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

18/08/2025

🏃‍♂️🏅 Great North Run - Marathon Effort for Charity 🏃‍♀️🏅

On Sunday, 7th September, five brave Barchester colleagues will take on the gruelling Great North Run to raise money for Barchester’s Charitable Foundation.

The Foundation supports older people and adults living with a disability by helping them connect or re-connect with others in their local communities.

Our amazing runners are:
• Becky Dearing, Health and Safety Coordinator
• Kirsty Taylor, Activities Lead at Chalfont Lodge Care Centre - Barchester Healthcare
• Zsuszanna Bodog, Care Assistant from Red Oaks Care Home - Barchester Healthcare
• Tom Hodges, Dementia Nurse Specialist for the North West and Midlands
• Yvonne Hand, General Manager at Glenroyd Care Home - Barchester Healthcare

They will lace-up their trainers and use grit and determination to complete the 13-mile half marathon course that starts in Newcastle upon Tyne and takes thousands of runners over the iconic Tyne Bridge in order to raise funds for Barchester's Charitable Foundation.

Wishing the very best of luck to the runners! 👏

17/08/2025

When we were in lockdown during the Covid 19 epidemic, we received many good wishes from people we didn’t know. This week we had two cards, just like the ones we had a few years ago. We don’t know who sent them but we would like to thank them for the lovely cards and kind words.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

15/08/2025

Book Lover’s Day is one of our favourite days. Many residents love reading and enjoy books and the day is a reminder to us that enjoying a good story can be achieved in many ways.

Storytellers Susan Samm and Alan Woolard came to tell us wonderful stories. It is always a joy to listen to them both. Staff read extracts from Enid Blyton’s ‘Summertime Stories’ in the garden room where a small group of people, who enjoy being read to, gathered to listen. One resident is particularly fond of A.A Milne’s ‘Winnie the Pooh’ and she listened to an audiobook being read on YouTube. There are so many ways of sharing stories and we continue to do so long after Book Lover’s Day.

To find out more about Kernow House please visit our website on https://www.barchester.com/home/kernow-house-care-centre

13/08/2025

🎤🎵 Come Sing! To Feel Good 🎤🎵

Residents and patients across the country had a fantastic time joining Dan Cooper, Vocal Coach from Biiah, for a lively summer virtual sing-along.

With the uplifting ‘Que Sera Sera’ by Doris Day and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ by The Beach Boys, there was plenty of singing and dancing all around.

The session was a great success, bringing benefits for the mind, body and soul, and leaving everyone with a dose of summer cheer.

A big thank you to Dan Cooper for the wonderful experience. 👏

Take a look at some of our favourite moments in the photos below.

🔗 www.barchester.com

11/08/2025

✨A Roaring 1920s Summer Fête at Ashlar House ✨

Ashlar House Care Home in turned back the clock for a spectacular Summer Fete inspired by the glamour of the 1920s.

Residents, families, colleagues and guests dressed to impress, bringing the glamour and spirit of the Jazz Age to life.

From Charleston dancing and live entertainment to delicious food, sweet treats and a much-loved raffle. There was something for everyone to enjoy.

It was a fantastic experience for all involved. 👏