Nursing Homes in West Berkshire
West Berkshire has 10 CQC registered nursing homes. 7 are rated Good, 2 Requires improvement, and 1 has not yet been rated. 8 of the 10 were last inspected more than three years ago.
Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.
West Berkshire at a glance
What the numbers say about care for older people in West Berkshire.
- West Berkshire Council pays, residential care: £1,238 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,500 to £1,809, median £1,600
- Care home beds filled across West Berkshire: 83%. The 12 month average is 81%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 49
- People aged 75 and over: 17,700. Rising to 21,100 by 2035, up 19%
- Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 1 closed. 2 changed owner, covering 109 beds.
- Who pays, across West Berkshire (estimate): 52% council, 44% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 2,300. Rising to 2,900 by 2035, up 28%
- People aged 85 and over: 4,500. Rising to 7,100 by 2035, up 58%
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 West Berkshire Involves and What to Look For
Where nursing care differs from residential care
A nursing home gives a permanent room, meals and help with personal care, and employs registered nurses so that clinical tasks can be carried out at any hour. That becomes necessary where wounds need regular dressing, a feeding tube is in place, a long term condition is unstable or medication has grown complicated. The nurse is on site rather than calling in, which is the practical distinction families notice first. Where that level of input is not required, the assessment will point towards a residential home instead.
How the ten homes were judged
Seven hold a Good rating: Argyles Care Home, Bayford House Care Home, Falkland Grange Care Home, Newbury Grove, The Donnington Care Home, Hollies and Thatcham Court Care Home. Hungerford Care Home and Birchwood Care Home currently require improvement, while Cedar Lodge carries no rating as yet. Where improvement has been required, check which of the five key areas was criticised, how recent the inspection was and what the provider has done since. An unrated home has usually registered too recently for inspectors to have visited.
Questions that reveal how a home runs
Ask how many registered nurses are rostered by day and overnight, how sickness is covered and how long the manager has been in post. Ask what happens when a resident deteriorates in the early hours, who decides to call an ambulance and how quickly relatives are contacted. Where the area is rural enough that visiting takes planning, ask how the home supports contact with family who live at a distance. Visit when the day is busy and watch how staff speak with residents who cannot easily reply.
Getting an Assessment and Funding Nursing Care in West Berkshire
Asking for a care needs assessment
An assessment of need is the proper starting point and is open to anyone who appears to require care and support. West Berkshire Council Adult Social Care carries out that assessment and decides what funded support should follow from it. There is no charge, no means test applies to the assessment itself, and a relative or advocate may request one on someone else's behalf. The assessor looks at mobility, medication, continence, nutrition, memory and overnight supervision, then writes a support plan describing the care required.
How the fee is met
A financial assessment then weighs capital and income to set the weekly contribution. Savings above the national upper capital limit usually mean the placement is privately funded, while savings below it bring support from the authority towards an agreed rate. Because all the providers here are registered for nursing, the NHS funded nursing care payment may apply as well, covering the registered nursing element and paid straight to the home. Where a health condition is the main reason care is needed, an assessment for NHS continuing healthcare is worth requesting.
Understanding what is charged
Weekly fees differ according to the room, the amount of nursing time involved and how each home staffs its shifts. Rates are set by providers individually, so only a written quotation for the specific room has real planning value. Ask what the figure covers, what is invoiced separately, how much notice is given of an increase and how often rates are reviewed. If savings may run down within a few years, raise the prospect of council funding before anything is signed.
10 nursing homes in West Berkshire
- Care Home · Wantage Road, Hungerford, West Berkshire, RG17 0PN
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by GCH (Alder) Ltd
Hungerford Care Home is a nursing home in Hungerford, West Berkshire. Being registered for nursing care means we can look after people whose health needs are more complex than a residential home can safely meet, with qualified nurses...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Argyles Care Home · Pound Street, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 6AE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Bupa Care Homes (CFChomes) Limited
We at Argyles Care Home are proud to offer compassionate nursing care in the heart of Newbury, providing a warm and welcoming home for older people and younger adults across West Berkshire and the wider South East. Nestled within the RG...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Bayford House Care Home · Rookwood, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8LB
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Bupa Care Homes (ANS) Limited
Bayford House Care Home is a nursing home in Newbury, Berkshire. 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...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Birchwood Care Home · 1 Birchwood Road, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 2PP
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by West Berkshire Council
Birchwood Care Home is a nursing home in Newbury providing nursing and personal care for older people, for younger adults with nursing needs, for people living with dementia, for people with physical disabilities, and for people with loss...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Falkland Grange Care Home · Monks Lane, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 7RW
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Porthaven Care Homes No 3 Limited
Falkland Grange is a nursing home in Newbury, with qualified nurses on duty at all times. We care for older people, including many people living with dementia, and we offer respite stays as well as permanent places. People usually come to...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Grove · 370 London Road, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 2QH
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by WT UK Opco 4 Limited
Newbury Grove is a nursing home in Newbury, West Berkshire. We support older people and younger adults whose needs include nursing care, including many living with dementia and people with physical disabilities. We also offer respite...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care - The Donnington Care Home · Wantage Road, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 3BE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Bupa Care Homes (CFChomes) Limited
We at The Donnington Care Home are proud to offer a welcoming nursing home setting in the heart of Newbury, West Berkshire, where compassionate care meets a genuine sense of community. Our home provides specialist nursing care for older...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Hollies · Reading Road, Reading, West Berkshire, RG7 3BH
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Optalis Limited
Hollies is a nursing home in Reading, West Berkshire. Being registered for nursing care means we can look after older people whose health needs go beyond what a residential home can safely manage, with qualified nursing staff working...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Court Care Home · Chapel Street, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 4QL
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Bupa Care Homes (CFChomes) Limited
We are a nursing home in Thatcham, caring for people whose needs require qualified nursing alongside help with daily living. We look after older people and younger adults, including those living with dementia, people with mental health...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Cedar Lodge · Eastfield Lane, Whitchurch on Thames, West Berkshire, RG8 7EG
Nursing home · Nursing on site · Run by EQ Care Group Limited
Cedar Lodge is a nursing home at Whitchurch on Thames. 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 hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
What care costs in West Berkshire, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care South East figure, because too few West Berkshire homes publish this price. 107 homes. Median £1,600. | £1,238 | £1,500 to £1,809 |
| Nursing care South East figure, because too few West Berkshire homes publish this price. 63 homes. Median £1,933. | £1,147 | £1,617 to £2,080 |
| Residential dementia care South East figure, because too few West Berkshire homes publish this price. 82 homes. Median £1,709. | Not published separately | £1,571 to £1,942 |
| Nursing dementia care South East figure, because too few West Berkshire homes publish this price. 37 homes. Median £2,050. | Not published separately | £1,975 to £2,226 |
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
- Hungerford Care Home, 5 December 2023, Requires improvement
- Birchwood Care Home, 22 March 2023, Requires improvement
- Falkland Grange Care Home, 22 September 2022, Good
Longest since a report
- Hollies, 6 June 2019, Good
- Newbury Grove, 28 August 2019, Good
- Thatcham Court Care Home, 20 December 2019, Good
Frequently asked questions about nursing homes in West Berkshire
How many nursing homes are there in West Berkshire?
West Berkshire has 10 CQC registered nursing homes: 7 Good, 2 Requires improvement, 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 West Berkshire?
West Berkshire Council pays an average of £1,238 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,500 to £1,809 a week. South East figure, because too few West Berkshire homes publish this price. 107 homes. Median £1,600. 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 West Berkshire were inspected most recently?
Hungerford Care Home (5 December 2023), Birchwood Care Home (22 March 2023) and Falkland Grange Care Home (22 September 2022) have the most recent CQC reports.