Willow Green Residential Care Home
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Nursing homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds63
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Caring for adults under 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2023-10-07
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement65
- Food quality65
- Healthcare70
- Management & leadership75
- Resident happiness70
What inspectors found
Inspected 2023-10-07
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The Effective domain was rated Good at the September 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether staff have the skills and knowledge to deliver care properly, including dementia-specific training, care planning, nutrition and hydration, and access to healthcare professionals such as GPs and specialist nurses. The published summary does not include specific examples of care plan content, training records reviewed, or observations of mealtimes. A Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied that standards were met, but the detail behind that judgement is not available in the published text.Is this home caring?
The Caring domain was rated Good at the September 2023 inspection. This domain is where inspectors assess whether staff treat the people who live here with genuine warmth, dignity, and respect, including whether residents are addressed by their preferred names, whether privacy is maintained, and whether care is delivered without rushing. The published summary does not include specific observations of staff interactions or direct quotes from residents or relatives about how they experience care. A Good rating indicates the inspection team was satisfied, but the texture of day-to-day kindness is not described.Is the home responsive?
The Responsive domain was rated Good at the September 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether the home is organised to meet each person's individual needs, including the range and quality of activities, support for people who cannot join group sessions, complaint handling, and end-of-life care planning. The home specialises in dementia care as well as general nursing care for adults of varying ages. The published summary does not describe specific activity programmes, individual engagement approaches, or end-of-life planning processes.Is the home well-led?
The Well-led domain was rated Good at the September 2023 inspection, having previously been Requires Improvement. A named registered manager, Mrs Hayley Louise Robertshaw, is in post, and the nominated individual is Mr Thomas Horn. The home is run by St. Martin's Care Limited. Achieving Good in Well-led after a previous Requires Improvement rating indicates inspectors found that governance systems, staff culture, and accountability had genuinely improved. The published summary does not describe the manager's visibility on the floor, staff feedback mechanisms, or how the home monitors quality on an ongoing basis.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home specialises in supporting adults under 65 who need residential care, alongside providing dementia care across all age groups. They also care for older adults in a setting that accommodates different age ranges and care needs. Residents living with dementia have access to structured activities including music sessions. The home works to support residents with varying stages of dementia alongside their other specialist services. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Willow Green Care Home scores 74 out of 100, reflecting a genuine and encouraging improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating to a Good across all five domains. The score sits in the positive-but-general range because the published inspection summary provides limited specific observations, quotes, or direct evidence to move individual themes into the higher bands.
Homes in North East typically score 68–82.Worth a visit
Willow Green Care Home, on Eastborne Road in Darlington, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its September 2023 inspection. This is a meaningful step forward: the home had previously been rated Requires Improvement, so inspectors found sufficient evidence of progress to award Good in safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. A named registered manager, Mrs Hayley Louise Robertshaw, was in post, and the home is registered to care for up to 63 people, including adults living with dementia and those under 65. The main limitation of this report for families is that the published inspection summary is brief. There are no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no specific observations of staff interactions, and no detail on night staffing, agency use, or activities. A Good rating is encouraging and is the result of real scrutiny, but it tells you the home met the standard rather than showing you what daily life looks like inside. Before committing, visit at a quieter time such as mid-afternoon or after the evening meal, ask to see last week's actual staffing rota rather than a template, and speak directly with the registered manager about how the home has changed since its previous rating.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Willow Green Residential Care Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Willow Green Residential Care Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Care for younger adults and those living with dementia in Darlington
Nursing home in Darlington: True Peace of Mind
Finding the right care for someone under 65 can feel particularly challenging. Willow Green Care Home in Darlington provides residential support for younger adults alongside dementia care and general care for those over 65. The home offers structured activities and aims to create a welcoming environment for all residents.
Who they care for
The home specialises in supporting adults under 65 who need residential care, alongside providing dementia care across all age groups. They also care for older adults in a setting that accommodates different age ranges and care needs.
Residents living with dementia have access to structured activities including music sessions. The home works to support residents with varying stages of dementia alongside their other specialist services.
“If you're exploring care options for a younger adult or someone with complex needs, visiting Willow Green could help you understand what they offer.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Willow Green Care Home scores 74 out of 100, reflecting a genuine and encouraging improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating to a Good across all five domains. The score sits in the positive-but-general range because the published inspection summary provides limited specific observations, quotes, or direct evidence to move individual themes into the higher bands.
Homes in North East typically score 68–82.Worth a visit
Willow Green Care Home, on Eastborne Road in Darlington, was rated Good across all five inspection domains at its September 2023 inspection. This is a meaningful step forward: the home had previously been rated Requires Improvement, so inspectors found sufficient evidence of progress to award Good in safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. A named registered manager, Mrs Hayley Louise Robertshaw, was in post, and the home is registered to care for up to 63 people, including adults living with dementia and those under 65. The main limitation of this report for families is that the published inspection summary is brief. There are no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no specific observations of staff interactions, and no detail on night staffing, agency use, or activities. A Good rating is encouraging and is the result of real scrutiny, but it tells you the home met the standard rather than showing you what daily life looks like inside. Before committing, visit at a quieter time such as mid-afternoon or after the evening meal, ask to see last week's actual staffing rota rather than a template, and speak directly with the registered manager about how the home has changed since its previous rating.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Willow Green Residential Care Home measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Willow Green Residential Care Home describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Care for younger adults and those living with dementia in Darlington
Nursing home in Darlington: True Peace of Mind
Finding the right care for someone under 65 can feel particularly challenging. Willow Green Care Home in Darlington provides residential support for younger adults alongside dementia care and general care for those over 65. The home offers structured activities and aims to create a welcoming environment for all residents.
Who they care for
The home specialises in supporting adults under 65 who need residential care, alongside providing dementia care across all age groups. They also care for older adults in a setting that accommodates different age ranges and care needs.
Residents living with dementia have access to structured activities including music sessions. The home works to support residents with varying stages of dementia alongside their other specialist services.
“If you're exploring care options for a younger adult or someone with complex needs, visiting Willow Green could help you understand what they offer.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
