Merlewood

Hollow Lane, Virginia Water GU25 4LR
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9.7 84 Reviews
  • Merlewood, Virginia Water
Merlewood Nursing & Residential Home is a converted Victorian house with bedrooms purpose-built all on the ground floor for nursing and elderly care needs, located within 23-acre grounds and surrounded by the picturesque Surrey landscape.

The service keeps close links with related health services, including hospices, GPs in order to ensure personal care packages remain updated and effective to each individual.

Many trips, outings and events are organised as part of the home's activities programme, including musical entertainment, art and handicrafts, film shows and garden fetes.

With 42 beautifully appointed rooms, Merlewood provides a range of care types, including residential care, nursing and palliative care, and respite and short stay options, all tailored to individual needs with personalised care plans.

Merlewood is a converted Victorian house with all bedrooms on the ground floor enjoying views of the beautifully landscaped grounds. Merlewood has a tranquil atmosphere that feels like home. Residents enjoy the beauty of nature with manicured gardens, quiet walking paths, and outdoor seating areas ideal for relaxation. Known for its vibrant community and active social calendar, designed to cater to varied interests and abilities. From art classes and music therapy to themed events, residents are encouraged to engage, connect, and thrive.

Dining at Merlewood is a daily enjoyment. The in-house chef prepares nutritious and delicious meals using fresh and seasonal menus, served in an elegant dining room where residents dine together.

Merlewood’s warm and welcoming team ensures each resident feels valued, supported, and cared for in every aspect of daily life, making it a place where comfort, companionship, and exceptional care come together seamlessly.

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Care Provided by Merlewood

  • Primary Care Categories
  • Mental Health Condition
  • No Medical Intervention
  • Older Person Care
  • Physical Disability
  • Respite Care
  • Sensory Impairment
  • Care Types Provided
  • Nursing Care
  • Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 54 Service Users
  • Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
  • Care Offered
  • AIDS/HIV
  • Asperger Syndrome
  • Autism/ASD
  • Bipolar/Manic Depression
  • Cancer Care
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Colitis & Crohn's Disease
  • COPD/Pulmonary Disease
  • Epilepsy
  • Head/Brain Injury
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Motor Neurone Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Neuropathic
  • Orthopaedic
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Speech Impairment
  • Stroke
  • Visual Impairment
  • Other Care Provided
  • Convalescent Care
  • End of Life Care
  • Own GP if required
  • Palliative Care
  • Physiotherapy

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Debbie Vellender (General Manager)
  • Admission Criteria
    • Ages 65+
  • Room Information
    • Single Rooms (54)
    • Couples/Companion Rooms (0)
  • Care Home Design/Build
    • Purpose Built: Yes
    • Last Refurbishment: 2022
    • Number of floors: 1

Funding & Fees Guide for Merlewood

  • Funding Types Accepted
  • Self funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top-Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Funding
  • Weekly Charges per Person
    • Self-Funded Residential Care from £1,500
    • Self-Funded Nursing Care from £2,250
    • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care from £1,600
    • RESPITE Self-Funded Nursing Care from £2,350

  • We will apply for NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) for all residents receiving nursing care and if awarded this will be deducted from your fees.
  • (these prices are only a guideline, please contact Merlewood to find out the exact price for your requirements)

Facilities

  • Bar/Café
  • Close to Local shops
  • Gardens
  • Ground Floor Accommodation only
  • Minibus or other transport
  • Near Public Transport
  • Own Furniture if required
  • Phone Point in own room
  • Residents Internet Access
  • Residents Kitchenette
  • Smoking not permitted
  • Television point in own room
  • Wheelchair Access
  • Visiting

  • The home have an open visiting policy.


  • Parking

  • Ample parking on site and disabled parking by the entrance.


Merlewood Reviews (84)

Total of 84, showing 81-84
9.7

Merlewood has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.653) out of 10, based on 23 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Merlewood has 84 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 68
  • 14
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0

Date Published

84
12
15
23
61

Review from Paul B (Cousin of Resident) published on 21 April 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My cousin, aged 95, was living alone and felt isolated. We all decided it would be better for her to come into care. Since being at Merlewood she has benefitted from the kindness and caring professional staff. Now she has the option of socialising with other residents. She has recently been very unwell
and has been nursed back to health by a dedicated team. We are all delighted with the positive attitude of all the staff from housekeeping to catering to social events. We could not have made a better choice.

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Review from Suzanne B (Daughter of Resident) published on 31 March 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother has been welcomed and cared for extremely well over the past 6months.
Since arriving at Merlewood we could not be more satisfied.

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Review from P N (Son of Resident) published on 28 March 2017
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother stayed at Merlewood for 3 weeks recuperating from a knee replacement operation. Having stayed in other care homes previously, we can definitely say that Merlewood stands head and shoulders above the rest in all respects.
Mum had a lovely, bright room which was spotlessly clean and very well
maintained. All staff were very friendly and helpful, always preparing to spend a little time making sure all was OK. Food also excellent. We would like to thank all staff, including housekeeping, nursing and physio for their support in helping with mum's recovery.

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Review from Gillian (Widow Widower) published on 14 April 2016
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My husband was admitted to Merlewood initially for respite nursing after hospital. His condition rapidly deteriorated and he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He died on 23 Feb 2016. The nursing and care staff looked after him with professionalism, kindly care, cheerfulness and humour. They were
also kind and welcoming to me, his friends and family when visiting. The decor and surroundings were of high standards and kept clean by dedicated team of cleaners and laundry staff. The chef and kitchen staff, reception and management team were equally kind and helpful, making us all feel at home. The nurses and carers could not have looked after him better in his final days if he had been their own dad. His son and I are most grateful.

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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.653)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.653) out of 10 for Merlewood is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 23 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 21 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Care Home is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.653 for Merlewood is calculated as follows: ( (200 Excellents x 5) + (54 Goods x 4) + (19 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 274 Ratings = 4.653

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Merlewood is based on 21 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the registered maximum number of service users in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Care Home registered for a maximum of 50 service users has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 54 registered maximum number of service users is 10.8, which has been reached with 21 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Care Home does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Performance

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 22 May 2019

Overall
Good

  • Caring

    Good

  • Effective

    Good

  • Responsive

    Good

  • Safe

    Good

  • Well-led

    Good

Care Quality Commission is responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England.

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Bed Vacancies

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

Awards / Recognitions (2)

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Meet the Team (1)

Debbie

Debbie Vellender

Job Title: General Manager

Joined: 2013

Debbie trained as a nurse at St George’s Hospital Tooting and Queen Mary’s Hospital Roehampton in the 90’s. This was followed with over 20 years nursing in the NHS, mainly within Medical and Elderly care, working her way to the position of Advanced (Clinical) Site Practitioner at a large local hospital. It was during this time that Debbie’s passion for care of the elderly blossomed, along with the personal fulfilment of getting to know people in her care, and their families.


Debbie moved into Social Care at Merlewood in 2013 as Deputy/Clinical Care Manager to use her skills and experience in a different aspect of elderly medical care. In 2019 Debbie became General Manager of the home. Debbie gets huge satisfaction from leading a team of like-minded compassionate individuals; Merlewood residents and staff have become a second family to her.