Summerhill

The Dunterns, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1AL

01665602203

Care Type

Residential Care

Assessment date

18 December 2024

Provider

Raycare Limited

Beds

29 beds

About Summerhill

Summerhill is a residential care home in Northumberland, providing personal care for older people, including those living with dementia. Details of the most recent CQC inspection are set out below.

Summerhill, in Northumberland, is a residential home providing personal care to up to 29 older people, including those living with dementia. The CQC rates the service Good overall. At the previous inspection breaches were found relating to safe care and record keeping, but inspectors found these had since been resolved, with better risk assessments, care planning and staffing in place.

Inspectors found staff were kind and attentive, and people and relatives spoke warmly about the care, food and activities on offer. People said they felt safe, well looked after and involved in decisions about their care.

Source: CQC assessment, 24 April 2025

Specialist Care

DementiaOlder people

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 29 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · NE66 1AL

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Dementia.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Assessment published 24 April 2025. Assessment date recorded: 18 December 2024.

Read CQC's assessment overview

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 24 April 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of assessment: 27 March to 14 April 2025
Summerhill is a residential home providing personal care and support to older people, including people who may live with dementia. The service can accommodate up to 29 people, at the time of our visit 27 people were using the service. A registered manager was in post. At our last inspection, we identified breaches of legal regulations for safe care and treatment and good governance and records.
At this inspection improvements had been made, and the provider was no longer in breach of legal regulations. Since the last inspection, the registered manager had introduced improvements to the service, including to records to ensure staff had guidance to meet people’s needs in a safe and person-centred way. Risks to people had been assessed and care plans were in place to help mitigate risks as far as possible. Accidents and incidents were investigated, action taken, and lessons learned. There were sufficient trained staff who worked with other professionals to ensure people's needs were met in a safe way.
Staff spoke very positively about working at the service and the people they cared for. There were sufficient trained staff who worked well with other professionals to ensure people's needs were met. Staff supported people safely and treated them with kindness and compassion. There was a varied programme of activities. People received a varied diet and enjoyed a positive dining experience. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the service and management.

Safe: Good
Effective: Good
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Good

Read Summerhill's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Summerhill, consider asking...

1.What specific dementia training do staff receive and how recently?
2.How do you support a resident who becomes distressed or confused?
3.How does the home keep a record of a resident's life history and personal preferences?
4.How do you involve families as dementia progresses and communication becomes harder?
5.What happens when a resident's dementia reaches an advanced stage?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Summerhill, look out for...

1.Is the environment calm, uncluttered and easy to navigate?
2.Do staff speak to residents with patience and dignity, even if they repeat themselves?
3.Are there memory cues around the home -- photos, familiar objects, clear signage?
4.Do residents seem settled and safe, or agitated and unsupervised?
5.Is there meaningful activity happening, or are residents just sitting quietly with nothing to do?

Could the NHS fund Summerhill's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees