Which nursing homes are registered in Dorset?

Thirty three registered nursing homes across Dorset are listed on this page. They include Bymead House, Blandford Grange Care Home, The Cedars Nursing Home, Somerleigh Court and Newstone House, spread between the larger towns and more rural parts of the area. Each entry opens into a profile carrying the current Care Quality Commission rating and the inspection report behind it. Working through a short list of those profiles is the most efficient way to decide where to visit.

How does a nursing home differ from a care home?

A care home provides accommodation, meals and help with personal tasks such as washing, dressing and prompting medication, with care staff present at all hours but no nurses on the premises. A nursing home offers all of that and additionally employs registered nurses, allowing it to manage clinical needs such as complex wound care, catheters, tube feeding and support through the final stages of an illness. Every provider listed here holds nursing registration. The care needs assessment is designed to establish which level of care is genuinely required.

What should we ask when visiting a nursing home in Dorset?

Ask how many registered nurses are rostered by day and overnight, and how often agency staff are used to cover those shifts. Ask how the home manages falls, pressure areas, infections and care at the end of life, and how quickly a doctor can be brought in. Ask how long the manager has been in post and what turnover among nurses has been. Then ask what the weekly fee includes and what is charged separately.

How do we arrange a care needs assessment in Dorset?

Contact Dorset Council and ask for an adult social care needs assessment. It is free, and entitlement does not depend on income or savings. An assessor will discuss daily routines, mobility, health conditions, medication and the risks someone currently faces, then set the findings out in a care and support plan. A family member already providing care can request a separate carer assessment at the same time.

Can Dorset Council fund a nursing home placement?

It may, where a financial assessment shows a person cannot meet the full cost from income and capital. For a permanent placement the value of a property is normally counted unless a partner or certain other relatives continue to live there. The needs assessment comes first, since funding follows assessed need. Ask separately about NHS Funded Nursing Care and NHS Continuing Healthcare, which are decided outside the council process and can change the position considerably.

How far in advance should we start looking?

Earlier than most families do. Looking while a situation is stable allows more than one visit, an unhurried read of the inspection reports and a decision made on merit rather than availability. Once a discharge from hospital is being arranged, the realistic choice tends to narrow to whoever has a bed that week. Beginning the assessment early costs nothing and keeps every option open.

Nursing Homes in Dorset

Dorset has 34 CQC registered nursing homes. 25 are rated Good, 3 Outstanding, 3 Requires improvement, and 3 have not yet been rated. 22 of the 34 were last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Dorset at a glance

What the numbers say about care for older people in Dorset.

Dorset Council pays, residential care: £1,156 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650, median £1,549
Care home beds filled across Dorset: 83%. The 12 month average is 83%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 59
People aged 75 and over: 66,500. Rising to 78,700 by 2035, up 18%
Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 1 closed. 9 changed owner, covering 422 beds.
Who pays, across Dorset (estimate): 33% council, 57% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 8,600. Rising to 11,000 by 2035, up 28%
People aged 85 and over: 17,900. Rising to 27,800 by 2035, up 55%

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

Choosing a nursing home in Dorset and what to look for

What the registration means in practice

The defining feature of a nursing home is that registered nurses are on the premises at every hour, which allows it to take on needs a residential home cannot safely meet. Complex wounds, catheters, feeding tubes, unstable long term conditions and care in the final months of life all fall within that registration. All the ordinary comforts remain alongside it, from a private room and meals to help with washing and dressing. Thirty three homes across Dorset hold this status, so suitability rather than scarcity should drive the shortlist.

Reading the inspection record

Amberwood House, Abbey View and Fernhill hold the three Outstanding judgements in this listing, with twenty six homes rated Good, two at Requires Improvement and two not yet rated. Check the date of each inspection before putting much weight on it, since an older judgement may describe a home that has changed hands or management since. Read what was said about staffing levels, medicines and how residents spend their days, then take the unanswered questions directly to the manager.

Distance is a practical consideration

Dorset covers a lot of ground, and a home an hour away will be visited less often than one twenty minutes down the road. Regular visitors notice changes in someone's condition early, build relationships with staff and raise concerns before they harden into problems. Weigh travelling time honestly against everything else, because the finest home in the county is worth less if nobody can get there on a wet Tuesday evening.

Arranging care and working out who pays

The needs assessment

An assessment of need is free, available to anyone who appears to require care and unaffected by savings. It covers mobility, continence, medication, nutrition, memory and the clinical support required, and produces a care and support plan describing what a home would need to deliver. Contact Dorset Council adult social care to arrange one, as it is responsible for carrying out assessments and for agreeing any funded support that follows. Relatives providing unpaid care can ask to be assessed in their own right.

Three funding routes worth knowing about

A council financial assessment examines income, savings and capital, and in a permanent placement the value of a property is usually included unless a partner or certain other relatives still live there. Because nursing is involved, two NHS routes also exist. Funded Nursing Care contributes towards the nursing element and is paid straight to the home. Continuing Healthcare can cover the entire cost where a person's needs are primarily health related rather than social. Each is assessed separately, so ask about all three by name.

Fees and what to establish early

Ask what the weekly charge includes and what is invoiced on top, from chiropody and hairdressing to continence products and transport to appointments. Ask how often fees are reviewed and what the most recent increase amounted to. Where the council funds a place it sets a budget based on assessed need, and a more expensive home usually means a relative meeting the difference for the duration of the stay.

34 nursing homes in Dorset

Oakdene Nursing Home · Ringwood Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 6RB
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by Dorset Healthcare Ltd
Oakdene Nursing Home is in Wimborne, Dorset. We provide nursing care for older people, including those living with dementia, and we take respite bookings for people who need a stay of a few weeks rather than a permanent place. Having...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Forest Hill House Nursing Home · Rushall Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3RT
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Royal Bay Care Homes Ltd
Forest Hill House Nursing Home is near Wimborne, providing nursing care to older people, with respite stays also available. Having registered nurses on site at all hours means that health needs are recognised and managed here, by people...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
Bymead House · Axminster Road, Charmouth, Dorset, DT6 6BS
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Bymead House Limited
Here at Bymead House, we provide nursing care for older people and those living with physical disabilities in the heart of Charmouth, a quietly beautiful corner of Dorset. We are proud to have received a "Good" rating from the Care Quality...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Upton Manor · 1 Dorchester Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 5NJ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Waypoints (Upton) Ltd
We at Upton Manor are proud to offer specialist nursing home care in the heart of Poole, Dorset, providing a warm and welcoming home for older people, adults with dementia, and those requiring dedicated nursing support. Our setting in the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Brook View · Riverside Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 0LQ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (1993) Limited
Here at Brook View, we are proud to be a trusted nursing home in the heart of Ferndown, Dorset, caring for people across a range of needs and circumstances. Our most recent Care Quality Commission rating is "good", which reflects the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St James' Park Care Home · Higher Street, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3EU
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by HC-One No.1 Limited
We at St James' Park Care Home are proud to offer dedicated nursing care in the welcoming market town of Bridport, Dorset. Our home provides a calm, supportive environment where residents requiring nursing, dementia, and older person care...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Castle View · Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2NH
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (1993) Limited
Castle View is a nursing home in Dorchester in Dorset, providing nursing care for older people and for younger adults whose health needs mean qualified nurses should be on hand at any time of day or night. We also welcome people for...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Whitecliffe House · White Cliff Mill Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7BQ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (2009) Limited
We at Whitecliffe House are proud to offer dedicated nursing care in the heart of Blandford Forum, a peaceful market town nestled in the beautiful Dorset countryside. Our home provides a warm, welcoming environment where older people and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Casterbridge Lodge · Winterbourne Steepleton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9LG
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Pebblestones Limited
Casterbridge Lodge is a nursing home in Dorchester. We care for older people who need qualified nursing alongside help with everyday living, and we also care for some younger adults whose health needs require nursing support. Having nurses...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Fairfield House · 41 Putton Lane, Chickerell, Dorset, DT3 4AJ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Fairfield Care (West Dorset) Limited
Fairfield House is a nursing home in Chickerell, Dorset, caring for adults who need qualified nursing support as well as help with daily living. Registered nurses are on duty at all hours, which means clinical care happens here rather than...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Manor · 110 Golf Links Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 8DA
Nursing home · Nursing on site · Run by Care UK Care Services Limited
Ferndown Manor is a nursing home in Ferndown, Dorset. We care for adults who need qualified nursing support alongside help with everyday living, with registered nurses on duty at all hours so that clinical needs can be met in familiar...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Anning House · Cross Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9QX
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by WT UK Opco 4 Limited
Anning House is a nursing home in Weymouth, Dorset. We provide nursing care for older people and for younger adults, including specialist support for those living with dementia, for people with a physical disability, and for residents with...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
The Queen Charlotte · 432 Chickerell Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 4DQ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Althea Healthcare Properties Limited
The Queen Charlotte is a nursing home in Weymouth. We care for older people and younger adults whose needs include nursing, including many living with dementia and people managing mental health conditions. Respite stays are part of what we...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Nursing Home · 9 Dudsbury Crescent, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 8JG
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by Kenmore Ferndown Limited
Ferndown Nursing Home is in Ferndown, Dorset, and we care for older people who need registered nursing alongside help with daily life. Nursing cover at every hour of the day and night is the practical reason most people come to us. It...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
Fern Brook Lodge · Fern Brook Lane, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4QD
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Care South
Fern Brook Lodge is a nursing home in Gillingham, Dorset, caring for people who need qualified nursing support alongside help with daily living. We care for older people and younger adults, support residents living with dementia, and offer...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Moors Manor Care Home · 243 Ringwood Road, Ringwood, Dorset, BH24 2DW
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
Moors Manor is a nursing home in Ringwood, Dorset, caring for people whose health needs require nursing as well as everyday support. Having qualified nurses on the team alongside our care staff means that residents do not have to move on...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Fernhill · 122 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9AW
Nursing home · CQC Outstanding · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (2009) Limited
Fernhill is a nursing home in Ferndown in Dorset, providing nursing care for older people and for younger adults, including people living with dementia. We also welcome respite guests. Our most recent overall rating from the Care Quality...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St. Ives Country House Care · Horton Road, Ringwood, Dorset, BH24 2EE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Care South
We are St Ives Country House, a nursing home near Ringwood. We care for older people who need qualified nursing alongside support with daily living, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people with a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Abbey View · Fairfield, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4HG
Nursing home · CQC Outstanding · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (1993) Limited
We are Abbey View, a nursing home in Sherborne, Dorset. We care for older people who need qualified nursing as well as support with daily living, and we also look after younger adults with nursing needs. Respite stays are available. Our...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
House Care Home · 42-44 Ringwood Road, Verwood, Dorset, BH31 7AH
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Waypoints (Verwood) Limited
Here at Verwood House Care Home, we provide nursing care for people living in and around Verwood, Dorset, and we take real pride in the community we have built within our walls. Our most recent Care Quality Commission inspection rated us...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Casterbridge Manor · Acreman Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7AL
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Pebblestones Limited
Casterbridge Manor is a nursing home in Dorchester, caring for older people whose health needs have gone beyond what can be managed comfortably at home. Having qualified nurses here at every hour means changes in somebody's condition are...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Manor · Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0TX
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Kingsley Healthcare (Birmingham) Limited
Weymouth Manor provides nursing and personal care for older people and younger adults, including those living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with sight or hearing loss. Registered nurses are on duty here at all...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
The Mellowes Care Home · Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4RE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Park Healthcare Limited
The Mellowes Care Home is a nursing home in Gillingham, Dorset. We provide nursing care for older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia, and we offer respite stays. Having registered nurses on the team means we...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Newstone House · Station Road, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1BD
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (1993) Limited
Newstone House is a nursing home in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, caring for older people and younger adults who need qualified nursing as well as support with daily life. Having registered nurses on the team means we can look after people...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Signature House · 2 Maumbury Gardens, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1GR
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Amica Care Trust
At Signature House, we provide nursing home care for people in Dorchester, Dorset, and we take genuine pride in the environment we have built here. Our team works hard every day to make sure that everyone who lives with us feels safe,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Amberwood House · 418-424 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9AX
Nursing home · CQC Outstanding · Nursing on site · Run by Colten Care (1693) Limited
We at Amberwood House are proud to offer dedicated nursing home care in the peaceful town of Ferndown, Dorset. Nestled within the leafy surrounds of the BH postcode area, our home provides a welcoming and supportive environment for older...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Blandford Grange Care Home · Milldown Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7DE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Healthcare Homes (LSC) Limited
Blandford Grange is a nursing home in Blandford Forum, Dorset. We care for older people and younger adults whose needs include nursing, including many living with dementia, and we offer respite stays. Because nursing is provided here,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Care Home · 21 Glendinning Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7QF
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Altogether Care LLP
Weymouth Care Home is a nursing home in Weymouth, Dorset. Having qualified nurses on duty means we can care for people whose health needs go beyond what a residential home can safely manage, and it usually means somebody can stay with us...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Somerleigh Court · Somerleigh Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1AQ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Somerleigh Court Ltd
Somerleigh Court is a nursing home in Dorchester. We provide nursing care for older people, we support people living with dementia, and we offer respite stays alongside permanent places. With nurses on duty at every hour, medication, skin...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Manor · Wimborne Manor, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2GA
Nursing home · Nursing on site · Run by Simply Care Group UK Ltd
Wimborne Manor is a nursing home in Wimborne. We care for older people and younger adults with nursing needs, including people living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions, people with physical disabilities and people...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Pine Martin Grange · Sandford Road, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7AJ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Dormy Care Communities South Ltd
Pine Martin Grange is a nursing home in Wareham, Dorset. We care for older people and younger adults whose needs include nursing, including many living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people living with sight or...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
The Cedars Nursing Home · 7 Angel Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8DF
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Park Healthcare Limited
The Cedars Nursing Home is in Shaftesbury, Dorset. Qualified nurses are on duty here at every hour rather than visiting, and that is usually why families come to us instead of to a residential home. Most of the people living with us are...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Care Home with Nursing · 14 Pound Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3HX
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by Lyme Regis Care Home Limited
We are a care home with nursing in Lyme Regis, Dorset. We provide nursing care for older people, including those living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with sight or hearing loss, and we also support some...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Manor · 2 Lonsdale Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2GA
Nursing home · Nursing on site · Run by Morar Wimborne Ltd
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults

What care costs in Dorset, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549.	£1,156	£1,400 to £1,650
Nursing care South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 16 homes. Median £1,810.	£1,183	£1,599 to £1,983
Residential dementia care South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 19 homes. Median £1,665.	Not published separately	£1,450 to £1,813
Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few Dorset 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

Ferndown Nursing Home, 19 August 2026, Requires improvement
Lyme Regis Care Home with Nursing, 22 April 2026, Requires improvement
Blandford Grange Care Home, 2 October 2025, Good

Longest since a report

Whitecliffe House, 9 May 2018, Good
Weymouth - Weymouth Care Home, 27 September 2018, Good
Casterbridge Manor, 15 January 2019, Good

Frequently asked questions about nursing homes in Dorset

How many nursing homes are there in Dorset?

Dorset has 34 CQC registered nursing homes: 3 Outstanding, 25 Good, 3 Requires improvement, 3 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 Dorset?

Dorset Council pays an average of £1,156 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650 a week. South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549. 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 Dorset were inspected most recently?

Ferndown Nursing Home (19 August 2026), Lyme Regis Care Home with Nursing (22 April 2026) and Blandford Grange Care Home (2 October 2025) have the most recent CQC reports.

Nursing Homes near Dorset

Dorchester