England

Rated:GoodResidential

The Grange

Whinbush Way, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 3PT

01325464900

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

29 October 2020

Provider

Highgate Care Services Ltd

Beds

74 beds

How this home compares nearby

Of 18 care homes for older people within 5 miles, none are rated higher by CQC, 14 are the same and 4 are lower.

15 of these nearby homes have been inspected more recently than this one.

Based on CQC ratings, updated 22 October 2026. How we compare homes | See the nearby homes

Rating history

GoodJun 2017
Requires ImprovementMay 2020
GoodNov 2020

Improved from Requires Improvement to Good in 2020. CQC has rated this home 3 times since 2017.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Highgate Care Services Ltd, which runs 9 care homes in England: 5 rated Good and 4 Requires Improvement.

Average care home fees in the North East: £897 a week for residential care and £1,164 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

This home lists dementia care, which usually costs more than standard residential care. See dementia care home costs. NHS Continuing Healthcare may apply where someone's needs are primarily health needs.
How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About The Grange

The Grange is a residential care home in Darlington. Details of its most recent CQC inspection are set out below.

The Grange is a purpose-built residential care home accommodating up to 74 people, with 59 residents at the time of inspection. The service maintains robust health and safety monitoring with well-embedded systems and equipment checks. Staffing levels are sufficient to meet residents' needs, and medicines are administered and recorded safely.

Infection prevention and control procedures are in place to protect residents from infection risks.

The provider and registered manager actively monitor service quality to maintain high standards of care. Healthcare professionals spoken with during the inspection praised the service's communication, indicating good collaborative relationships with external medical providers.

Source: CQC inspection report, 11 November 2020

Specialist Care

DementiaOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesSensory impairmentsYounger adults

Photographs of the home

Practical details from the provider

The provider describes en-suite bedrooms, including some suitable for couples.

Published on the provider's website, checked 2 October 2026. Confirm arrangements with the home before deciding.

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 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 74 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · DL1 3PT

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Dementia; Physical disabilities; Sensory impairment.

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.

Rating report published 11 November 2020. Latest inspection date recorded: 29 October 2020.

Safe: Good
EffectivePublished 12 May 2020: Good
CaringPublished 12 May 2020: Good
ResponsivePublished 12 May 2020: Good
Well-led: Good

Read The Grange'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 The Grange, 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 The Grange, 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 The Grange'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