The 10 best-rated, ranked from published Care Quality Commission data, not opinion or advertising. 47 of the 58 nursing home in County Durham currently hold a Good or Outstanding rating.
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Peterlee, SR8
Operated by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 108 beds. Rated Outstanding by CQC, published 2/2/23.
O'Neill Drive, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 5UP
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Peterlee, SR8
Operated by Sanctuary Care Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 65 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 9/24/22.
Seaside Lane, Easington Colliery, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 3XZ
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Newton Aycliffe, DL5
Operated by WT HI OpCo 1 Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 41 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 9/22/17.
Defoe Crescent, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 4JP
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Stanley, DH9
Operated by St Andrews (MPS) Limited
Registered to support older people, dementia care, physical disability. 45 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 8/26/22.
Church Bank, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 0DU
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Bishop Auckland, DL14
Operated by Durham Care Line Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 23 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 7/14/22.
Bowes Court, Stones End, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 9RE
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Stanley, DH9
Operated by Harbour Healthcare (North) Ltd
Registered to support older people, dementia care, physical disability. 62 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 6/26/18.
Durham Road, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 6QZ
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Bishop Auckland, DL14
Operated by Durham Care Line Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 50 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 6/23/25.
Stones End, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 9RE
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Bishop Auckland, DL14
Operated by Landona House Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 51 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 6/20/25.
15 Hexham Street, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7PU
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Chester Le Street, DH3
Operated by Gainford Care Homes Limited
Registered to support older people, younger adults, dementia care. 66 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 6/13/25.
Durham Road, Birtley, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 1LU
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Operated by Leonard Cheshire Disability
Registered to support older people, younger adults, physical disability. 25 beds. Rated Good by CQC, published 6/11/26.
Worthington Close, Crook, County Durham, DL15 8NL
5 of 5 CQC domains rated Good or Outstanding
Showing 10 of 47 nursing home in County Durham that currently hold a published Good or Outstanding rating, out of 58 registered in total. Services with no published rating are excluded: newly registered services often have none, and no rating is not a poor rating.
Based on Care Quality Commission data published 01 July 2026, used under the Open Government Licence. No provider has paid for a position on this page, and none can.
A nursing home is a care home registered to provide nursing, with registered nurses on duty. CQC registers it as a care home service with nursing.
People who need clinical care alongside personal care: complex wounds, tube feeding, catheter or stoma management, unstable long term conditions, late stage dementia with physical complications, or end of life care.
Two separate things, often confused:
NHS-funded Nursing Care is £267.68 a week for 2026/27, paid to the home towards the nursing element only. Not means tested. The rest of the fee still is.
NHS Continuing Healthcare pays for everything, with no means test at all, if your needs are primarily health needs.
The order matters. You should be assessed for Continuing Healthcare first, and only assessed for FNC if CHC is ruled out. If you are offered FNC without a CHC assessment, ask why.
Nursing homes cost more than residential homes because of the nursing staff. The rest of the fee is means tested in the usual way, with the £23,250 upper capital limit.
Everything on the residential care home page applies, plus:
58 CQC-registered nursing home have a registered office in County Durham, North East. Of those, 47 currently hold a published Good or Outstanding rating, which is the pool this ranking is drawn from.
That depends on your finances, not your postcode. Above £23,250 in capital you normally pay the full cost. Below £14,250 your capital is ignored. Your council carries out the financial assessment, and NHS Continuing Healthcare pays in full where needs are primarily health needs. 2026/27 thresholds for England.
It means it was rated Good at the last inspection, and the gap between inspections can run to years. Use the rating as a starting point, read the full report, and visit in person before deciding.
When their needs require a registered nurse: complex wound care, PEG or tube feeding, unstable diabetes, catheter or stoma management, palliative care, or conditions that need clinical monitoring and can change quickly.
Sometimes in part, sometimes in full. NHS-funded Nursing Care pays £267.68 a week towards the nursing element. NHS Continuing Healthcare pays the entire cost, with no means test, if your needs are primarily health needs. You should be assessed for Continuing Healthcare first.
Carevo does not inspect or endorse services. CQC ratings change between inspections. Check the current rating on the CQC website and read the full report before deciding.