There are 140 CQC-registered care homes in County Durham (including Seaham, Great Aycliffe and Stanley) listed on Docorix. 122 currently hold a CQC rating: 111 rated Good or Outstanding, 11 Requires improvement and 0 Inadequate. 18 have not yet been rated under their current registration. Together they are registered for 5,048 beds.
CQC register data updated 6 October 2026 · ratings link to each provider’s official CQC report
- Eden House Independent CQC: Outstanding 01388606475
- Grizedale Independent CQC: Outstanding 01207583708
- Hawthorn House Council-run CQC: Outstanding 03000266550
- Highview House Independent CQC: Outstanding 01388417550
- Resolve Independent CQC: Outstanding 01388458128
- River Cottage Independent CQC: Outstanding 01207581349
- The Hawthorns Independent CQC: Outstanding 01915871251
- Abbeyvale Care Centre Independent CQC: Good 01914537963
- Ashwood Park Residential and Nursing Home Independent CQC: Good 01915273300
- Aycliffe Care Home Independent CQC: Good 01325307262
- Bannatyne Lodge Independent CQC: Good 01915869511
- Beachcomber Care Home Independent CQC: Good 01915819451
- Beamish Residential Care Home Independent CQC: Good 01913701763
- Beddell House Charity / not-for-profit CQC: Good 01913720421
- Belchford Independent CQC: Good 01429836286
- Belmont Grange Nursing and Residential Home Independent CQC: Good 01913849853
- Benton Care Services Independent CQC: Good 01207281788
- Birchwood Court Residential Care Home Independent CQC: Good 01915279741
- Bowburn Care Centre Independent CQC: Good 01913778214
- Bowe’s Court Care Home Independent CQC: Good 01388834618
- Bradbury House – Care Home with Nursing Physical Disabilities Charity / not-for-profit CQC: Good 01388768380
- Brancepeth Court Independent CQC: Good 01388747698
- Broom Lodge Independent CQC: Good 01740669734
- Castle Bank Care Home Independent CQC: Good 01388731152
- Cedar Court Residential and Nursing Home Independent CQC: Good 01915818080
- Chilton Care Centre Independent CQC: Good 01630652774
- Church View (Bishop Auckland) Independent CQC: Good 01388451565
- Cosin Lodge Independent CQC: Good 01388748702
- Crosshill Nursing Home Independent CQC: Good 01388526205
- Denehurst Nursing Home Independent CQC: Good 01740655314
Nothing matches those filters.
Order: official CQC rating only – Outstanding first, then Good. Providers cannot pay to appear higher.
Top 10 care homes in County Durham by CQC rating
How we rank: only by the official CQC rating – Outstanding first, then Good, most recently inspected first. Providers cannot pay to appear here. Services the CQC has not yet rated are listed further down the page.
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Eden House
Outstanding
DL14
Rated Outstanding for Caring and Well-led. Rating published December 2023.
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Highview House
Outstanding
DL16
Rated Outstanding for Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Rating published September 2023.
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The Hawthorns
Outstanding
SR8
Rated Outstanding for Caring and Responsive. Rating published February 2023.
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Grizedale
Outstanding
DH8
Rated Outstanding for Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Rating published January 2023.
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Hawthorn House
Outstanding
DH1
Rated Outstanding for Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Rating published April 2020.
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Resolve
Outstanding
DL14
Rated Outstanding for Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Rating published April 2020.
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River Cottage
Outstanding
DH8
Rated Outstanding for Responsive and Well-led. Rating published February 2020.
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Crosshill Nursing Home
Good
DL13
Rated Good in all five areas the CQC inspects. Rating published October 2026.
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Tenlands Care Home
Good
DL17
Rated Good in all five areas the CQC inspects. Rating published September 2026.
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Hollie Hill
Good
DH9
Rated Good in all five areas the CQC inspects. Rating published July 2026.
Choosing care homes in County Durham
When comparing care homes, start with the CQC rating and the date it was published, then visit in person at different times of day. Ask how staff support people with needs like yours, what the fees include and how they change, and whether the home accepts local authority or NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. Homes with nursing care have registered nurses on site around the clock; residential homes provide personal care only.
Frequently asked questions
How many care homes are there in County Durham?
Docorix lists 140 CQC-registered care homes in County Durham, taken from the Care Quality Commission register (last updated 6 October 2026).
Which care homes in County Durham are rated Outstanding?
7 are currently rated Outstanding by the CQC, including Eden House, Grizedale, Hawthorn House, Highview House, Resolve, River Cottage.
Where do these ratings come from?
Ratings are published by the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. We show each provider’s current rating with its publication date and link to the full CQC report. Contains CQC data © Care Quality Commission.
