How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Stanley?

Contact adult social care at Durham County Council and ask for a care needs assessment. A request can come from the person themselves, from a relative or friend acting for them, from a general practitioner, or from a hospital ward planning a discharge. The assessment is free and carries no means test, so it is worth having even where the family expects to pay the fees itself. A practitioner will look at clinical needs, daily routines, medication, mobility and risk, then produce a written summary.

Can Durham County Council fund a nursing home placement?

It can where somebody qualifies, though funding is never automatic. The care needs assessment must find that the need meets national eligibility criteria, and a separate financial assessment of income and capital must fall below the applicable threshold. Where both are satisfied, the council may commission the placement in full or meet part of it alongside an assessed contribution. It is worth asking too whether continuing healthcare funding from the health service applies, since a primarily health based need is assessed on a different basis.

Which providers in Stanley offer nursing care?

Three nursing homes serving Stanley match this search, and each appears on this page with its current CQC rating and a link to a fuller profile. Two of them are rated Good and one has not yet been rated. All three hold a registration covering nursing care, which means registered nurses are employed on the premises. Because the list is short, ring each of them about availability and ask the council what exists beyond the immediate area.

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

A care home is registered for accommodation with personal care, which covers help with washing, dressing, eating, prompting medication and moving about safely. A nursing home holds a further registration and employs registered nurses on site, allowing it to deliver clinical care such as wound management, catheter care, feeding tubes or medication given by injection. The test is whether the person needs a task only a registered nurse may carry out. A care needs assessment will establish which is required.

How far in advance should a nursing home be arranged?

Earlier than most families manage, and more so here, because only three homes are registered locally and availability may decide the outcome. Start the care needs assessment as soon as nursing care looks likely, since arranging it takes time and no funding decision can follow without it. Ask about provision beyond the immediate area at the same time, so a shortlist is not limited to three. Where a placement is needed urgently, say so at the first call.

What should I ask when visiting a nursing home in Stanley?

Ask how many registered nurses are on duty during the day, at weekends and overnight, and press for numbers rather than assurances. Ask what proportion of the nursing rota is covered by agency staff and how long the permanent team has been in post. Ask what happens when a resident becomes unwell at night and who decides to seek medical help. Where a home has no rating yet, ask when it registered and whether an inspection has been scheduled.

Nursing Homes in Stanley

Stanley has 3 CQC registered nursing homes. 2 are rated Good, and 1 has not yet been rated. 1 of the 3 was last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Stanley at a glance

What the local numbers say about care for older people in Stanley, 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.

Arranging and Funding Nursing Care in Stanley

The first step is not a telephone call to a home

It is a care needs assessment, which is free, is not means tested, and establishes in writing whether a registered nurse is genuinely required and what level of support is needed. Homes read it when deciding whether they can meet the need and what to charge, and funders read it before deciding anything, so having it in hand shortens every conversation that follows.

What the council does

Assessments and funded social care are the responsibility of Durham County Council Adult Social Care, which will also assess a family carer's own needs where asked. Because only three homes are registered locally, it is worth asking the council directly what is available further afield. A financial assessment of income and capital is carried out separately, against thresholds set nationally rather than locally.

The nursing part of the fee

Nursing fees generally exceed residential ones because of the staffing involved. Where a person is assessed as needing care from a registered nurse, a contribution towards that element may be met by the health service rather than by the council or the family, assessed separately from social care funding. Ask how it appears on the invoice and what is charged above the weekly rate.

Choosing Between the Nursing Homes in Stanley

Confirming that nursing is the right category

The distinction between nursing and residential care is clinical, not a question of comfort. A nursing registration permits a home to manage wound care, catheters, feeding tubes, unstable conditions and medication given by injection, because a registered nurse is on duty on the premises. Where none of that is needed, a residential home may serve better and generally costs less.

Where one home has no rating

Two of the three are rated Good and one is not yet rated. An absent rating is not a mark against a provider, and it usually means the home registered recently, but it does mean there is no independent evidence to weigh. With that home, ask when it registered, whether an inspection has been scheduled, and who the registered manager is, and ask more rather than fewer questions.

What to establish on a visit

Ask how many registered nurses are on duty on a weekday, at a weekend and overnight, and ask for numbers. Ask how much of the nursing rota is covered by agency staff, since heavy agency use tells you more about a home than its furnishings. Ask what happens when a resident deteriorates at night and who decides to call for medical help.

3 nursing homes in Stanley

Park · Stanley, County Durham
Hollie Hill · Stanley, County Durham · CQC Good
St Andrews Nursing Home · Stanley, County Durham · CQC Good

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

Hollie Hill, 17 July 2026, Good
St Andrews Nursing Home, 26 August 2022, Good

Longest since a report

St Andrews Nursing Home, 26 August 2022, Good
Hollie Hill, 17 July 2026, Good

Frequently asked questions about nursing homes in Stanley

How many nursing homes are there in Stanley?

Stanley has 3 CQC registered nursing homes: 2 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 Stanley?

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 Stanley were inspected most recently?

Hollie Hill (17 July 2026) and St Andrews Nursing Home (26 August 2022) 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