Which nursing homes in Bishop Auckland are listed here?

Eight providers match this search: Lyons Court Care Home, Barrington Lodge, Thornfield Grange, Bishopsgate Lodge Care Home, Bowe's Court Care Home, Laurel Place, St Helens Care Home and Sandringham Care Home. All are registered to provide accommodation with nursing care. Seven of them hold a Good rating from the Care Quality Commission and Laurel Place has not yet been rated. Each profile opens onto the registration and inspection detail for that home.

What should I ask when visiting a nursing home in Bishop Auckland?

Ask how many registered nurses cover the night shift and the weekend, and how often agency staff are used to fill gaps. Ask what happens when a resident becomes unwell, who calls the doctor and how quickly families are told. Request a recent menu and the activities programme, and ask whether residents choose when to get up and go to bed. Where several homes share the same rating, these answers are what will separate them.

How does a nursing home differ from a residential care home?

Both provide accommodation, meals and help with personal care such as washing and dressing. A nursing home also keeps registered nurses on duty at all hours, so clinical care happens on site. That matters where someone needs wound care, injected medicines, tube feeding or close monitoring of a changing condition. A residential home would ordinarily call on visiting community nurses for those same tasks.

Can Durham County Council fund a nursing home placement?

It can contribute where the care needs assessment concludes that nursing care is required and the financial assessment shows income and capital below the relevant thresholds. Durham County Council carries out both assessments before agreeing to fund any part of a placement. Where a registered nurse is needed, the NHS may also contribute towards the nursing element of the fee. Households with capital above the threshold usually meet the cost themselves at first.

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Bishop Auckland?

Contact the adult social care team at Durham County Council and ask for an assessment of care needs. The request may be made by the person themselves, by a relative acting with their agreement, or by a hospital or general practice. An assessor will look at health, mobility, daily living and the help family members already provide. The written outcome then forms the basis of any care plan and of any funded support.

How far ahead should the search begin?

Start as soon as nursing care looks like the likely direction rather than waiting for a discharge date to set the pace. Early enquiries leave time to visit each home more than once and to read the inspection reports properly. Rooms suited to particular needs come free unpredictably, and a waiting list is always possible. Arranging an assessment sooner also means any funded support is agreed before a place is required.

Nursing Homes in Bishop Auckland

Bishop Auckland has 8 CQC registered nursing homes. 7 are rated Good, and 1 has not yet been rated. 5 of the 8 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Bishop Auckland at a glance

What the local numbers say about care for older people in Bishop Auckland, to help you judge the options below.

Durham County Council pays, residential care: £857 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,331 to £1,392, median £1,369
Care home beds filled across County Durham: 89%. The 12 month average is 88%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 85
People aged 75 and over: 58,300. Rising to 68,700 by 2035, up 18%
Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 1 closed. 20 changed owner, covering 844 beds.
Who pays, across County Durham (estimate): 51% council, 26% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 7,500. Rising to 9,300 by 2035, up 24%
People aged 85 and over: 14,200. Rising to 20,600 by 2035, up 44%

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

What nursing care in Bishop Auckland involves

The line between residential and nursing care

What sets these homes apart from residential care is the presence of a registered nurse on the rota at every hour of the day and night. That allows wound care, injected medicines, catheter and tube management, pressure area care and the monitoring of an unstable condition to be handled on the premises rather than waiting on a visiting community nurse. It is worth being honest about whether that level of care is genuinely required, because a nursing placement costs more and a move made into the wrong sort of setting seldom lasts. Where the daily need is help with washing, dressing, meals and company, residential care may serve better.

Looking past a shared rating

Eight homes match this search. Lyons Court Care Home, Barrington Lodge, Thornfield Grange, Bishopsgate Lodge Care Home, Bowe's Court Care Home, St Helens Care Home and Sandringham Care Home each hold a Good rating from the Care Quality Commission, while Laurel Place has not yet been rated. When most of a list shares one rating, the rating itself stops being a way of choosing between them. The separation lies in the reports: what inspectors recorded about staffing levels overnight, how medicines were stored and administered, how care plans were kept current, and what residents and relatives said. Two homes both rated Good can feel entirely different once those pages have been read.

What to notice on a visit

Go more than once and at different hours. Notice whether staff greet residents by name, whether people are occupied rather than parked in front of a television, and how the place smells and sounds in the late afternoon. Ask how long the manager has been in post, how much of the nursing team is permanent rather than agency, and what has changed since inspectors last visited.

Getting an assessment and funding a place

The care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need care and support may request a care needs assessment, whatever their means, and the duty to provide one rests with Durham County Council Adult Social Care. The assessor considers personal care, mobility, nutrition, memory and medical needs alongside the support relatives already give, then records the outcome in writing. That document establishes whether nursing care is the appropriate answer and gives each home something concrete to work from.

Meeting the fees

A financial assessment follows, weighing income and capital against the national thresholds. Below them, the council contributes towards a placement it agrees is needed, although a third party top up may be sought where the chosen home costs more than the council would ordinarily fund. Above them, the fees are private and a fresh assessment can be requested as capital reduces. Because nursing is involved, the NHS may pay a contribution towards that element regardless of means, so ask each home for a written breakdown of the weekly charge and what falls outside it.

8 nursing homes in Bishop Auckland

Lyons Court Care Home · Stones End, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 9RE
Nursing home · Care home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Durham Care Line Limited
Lyons Court is a nursing and residential care home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. We care for older people and younger adults, including those living with dementia, mental health conditions, learning disabilities, autism, physical...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Thornfield Grange · 60 Etherley Lane, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7QZ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Cygnet (OE) Limited
Thornfield Grange is a nursing home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. We provide nursing care for adults whose needs go beyond what can reasonably be managed at home, and we also offer respite stays for people who need care for a shorter...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St Helens Care Home · 6 Manor Road, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 9DL
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Marton Care Homes Ltd
St Helens Care Home provides nursing care in Bishop Auckland for older people and younger adults. We support people living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions and people with physical disabilities, and we also work with...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
Bishopsgate Lodge Care Home · 15 Hexham Street, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7PU
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Landona House Limited
Bishopsgate Lodge Care Home provides nursing care in Bishop Auckland for older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia, people with mental health needs, people with physical disabilities and people who have sight...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Bowe's Court Care Home · Bowes Court, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 9RE
Nursing home · Care home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Durham Care Line Limited
We at Bowe's Court Care Home extend a warm welcome to families exploring residential care in Bishop Auckland. Nestled within the historic market town in County Durham, our home offers a comforting and homely setting where residents can...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care, Eating Disorders, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
Sandringham Care Home · Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6HT
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Crown Care VI Limited
Sandringham Care Home is a nursing home in Bishop Auckland in County Durham. We care for older people and younger adults who need nursing support, including people living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions and people...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Barrington Lodge · Berkshire Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6XX
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Harbour Healthcare (North) Ltd
Here at Barrington Lodge, we provide nursing home care in the heart of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, supporting a wide range of individuals and families who need trusted, reliable care close to home. We care for older adults, people...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Laurel Place · Gudmunsen Avenue, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6RG
Nursing home · Nursing on site · Run by Laurel Place Health Care Limited
Laurel Place is a nursing home in Bishop Auckland, providing nursing care to older adults and to some younger adults, with respite stays available. We support residents living with dementia, residents with mental health needs, and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care

What care costs in County Durham, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care North East figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 13 homes. Median £1,369.	£857	£1,331 to £1,392
Nursing care England figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 140 homes. Median £1,916.	£890	£1,600 to £2,071
Residential dementia care North East figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 14 homes. Median £1,458.	Not published separately	£1,268 to £1,548
Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 75 homes. Median £2,050.	Not published separately	£1,890 to £2,221

Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.

Inspected most recently

Lyons Court Care Home, 23 June 2025, Good
Bishopsgate Lodge Care Home, 20 June 2025, Good
Sandringham Care Home, 19 May 2023, Good

Longest since a report

Barrington Lodge, 30 April 2021, Good
St Helens Care Home, 29 May 2021, Good
Bowe's Court Care Home, 14 July 2022, Good

Frequently asked questions about nursing homes in Bishop Auckland

How many nursing homes are there in Bishop Auckland?

Bishop Auckland has 8 CQC registered nursing homes: 7 Good, 1 not yet rated. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does a nursing home cost in Bishop Auckland?

Durham County Council pays an average of £857 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,331 to £1,392 a week. North East figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 13 homes. Median £1,369. Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.

Which nursing homes in Bishop Auckland were inspected most recently?

Lyons Court Care Home (23 June 2025), Bishopsgate Lodge Care Home (20 June 2025) and Sandringham Care Home (19 May 2023) have the most recent CQC reports.

Local care news in County Durham

New 48 bed care home registered with CQC in County Durham: Willowdene Care Home (5 November 2026)

More local care news for County Durham