St Margaret's Care Home

St Margarets Garth, Crossgate, Durham DH1 4DS
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9.1 88 Reviews
  • St Margaret's Care Home, Durham
Overlooking Durham Cathedral and Castle, St Margaret’s Care Home offers personalised residential, nursing and residential dementia care to older people.

From the lovely en-suite bedrooms and hair salon to the large patio area and wellbeing programme, the friendly and comfortable home offers a place for residents to relax, unwind and socialise with friends and family.

In the lovely dining areas, residents can relax and enjoy dining with family and friends, taken care of by the catering team who work hard to make mealtimes an enjoyable experience for all residents and their loved ones.

By getting to know each individual resident at St Margaret’s, the team take pride in empowering everyone to take an active part in life at the home. Whether it be participating in the popular wellbeing and activities programme or supporting residents in embracing the quieter times, they are committed to helping residents to lead their best lives.

Community is an integral part of life at St Margaret’s, so the team is dedicated to supporting residents in building strong relationships in the Durham neighbourhood, by organising events with local schools, charities and businesses in the area.

The professional care team is on hand to help you or your loved one settle into life in the home. The experienced and friendly home manager leads the team at St Margaret’s to provide the kindest care possible to all residents.

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Care Provided by St Margaret's Care Home

  • Primary Care Categories
  • Dementia
  • Older Person Care
  • Physical Disability
  • Respite Care
  • Care Types Provided
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • Nursing Care
  • Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 60 Service Users
  • Privately Owned
  • Care Offered
  • Alzheimer's
  • Colitis & Crohn's Disease
  • Epilepsy
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Stroke
  • Visual Impairment
  • Other Care Provided
  • Convalescent Care
  • Own GP if required
  • Palliative Care
  • Separate Specialist Dementia Care Unit

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Emma Grebby (Home Manager)
  • Admission Criteria
    • Subject to agreement that St Margaret's can meet assessed needs.
    • Ages 65+
  • Room Information
    • Single Rooms (60)
  • Care Home Design/Build
    • Purpose Built: Yes
    • Last Refurbishment: 2022

Facilities

  • Close to Local shops
  • Gardens
  • Lift
  • Minibus or other transport
  • Near Public Transport
  • Own Furniture if required
  • Residents Internet Access
  • Television point in own room
  • Wheelchair Access

St Margaret's Care Home Reviews (88)

Total of 88, showing 1-20
9.1

St Margaret's Care Home has a Review Score of 9.1 (9.090) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time St Margaret's Care Home has 88 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 63
  • 18
  • 5
  • 1
  • 1

Date Published

88
3
9
16
72

Review from Jacqueline E (Daughter of Resident) published on 1 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My mam was in St Margaret's between October 2023 and January 2024. The regular staff were professional to deal with. It did appear some bank staff were not the hardest working. Towards the end, my mam received attentive nursing care, particularly from one staff member in particular. There was some entertainment
in the lounge and some activities appeared to be available. On the nursing floor, very few residents sat in the lounge during the day or evenings but some went to the dining room for meals. I never saw the general residential floor. At the weekends it could be a long wait to be let into the care home as admin staff were not around to respond to the buzzer.

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Review from Joan G (Friend of Resident) published on 26 September 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Professional and friendly care.

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Review from Gillian W (Daughter of Resident) published on 25 September 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

We are very happy with Mam's care most of the time. We sometimes have small issues but they are always resolved. I think a concern we do have is when there are bank staff. We feel they have no training to deal with dementia residents. I was most upset to see one of them snoozing in the lounge. I think
my glaring at him intensely woke him up. The regular staff are all amazing.
Thanks to all.

Reply from Clare Sheehan, Careline Advisor at St Margaret's Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to complete a review for St Margarets, we are delighted to hear that you are very happy with the care your Mother receives and we will ensure we pass on your lovely comments regarding our team. We are concerned to hear that you discovered a bank (agency) colleague asleep in a lounge, this is not acceptable and we would ask if you could please let the nurse in charge know immediately if you have concerns in the future. We will report this concern to the Agency and ask them to address it with their colleagues, we are working hard to recruit a full team of colleagues employed and trained by HC-One, this covers extensive training in Dementia and supports colleagues to provide kind care. Thank you once again for completing a review.


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Review from M M (Daughter of Resident) published on 23 September 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Wonderful carers and staff. Friendly, kind and approachable.

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Review from B G (Daughter of Resident) published on 29 May 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Great staff on every level. All staff are extremely friendly and professional. Cannot praise the staff enough. They are excellent.

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Review from Gail R (Daughter of Resident) published on 16 May 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

St Margaret's, you have an exceptional team of staff! My mam has recently become a resident and I'm overwhelmed by the team's dedication to giving genuine care with kindness, respect and professionalism. Every member of staff, whatever their role, goes beyond just doing their job; they don't just fulfil
their duties, they really 'see' the person in their care and maintain their dignity at all costs. Mam has full mental capacity and is struggling to accept and cope with losing her mobility, her independence and the life she had. All of the staff have taken time to chat with Mam, to get to know her on a personal level, pop in to just say 'hello' as they're passing. All of this has made a huge difference to Mam's quality of life and helped her to feel safe and welcomed. My only gripe is, some agency staff haven't a good command of English and/or an understanding of what's needed and Mam has experienced some difficulties a couple of times during the night. However, each time I've raised the issue with permanent staff, they've resolved it. We are so thankful to you all and really appreciate everything you do!

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Review from K L (Resident) published on 25 April 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

I've been here for five weeks, only two nights I could sleep in quietness, the nighttime staff just talking every hour after midnight, waking me up at least three to four times. Last night they talked very loudly for more than twenty minutes at the outside hut, I shout at them but they shout back to
me.

Reply from Clare Sheehan, Careline Advisor at St Margaret's Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to complete a review and share your views with us. We are extremely sorry that you have experienced a noisy environment during the night. Unfortunately Care Homes can be noisy and can be busy 24 hours a day, we do promote a quiet environment at night to facilitate residents to have good nights sleep and we apologise that you have not experienced a quiet environment. We will discuss your review in our Colleague meeting and outline the standards we expect. Once again thank you for completing this review.


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Review from M B (Resident) published on 10 April 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

I was greeted very well when I arrived. Taken to my room and made comfortable. I was given a buzzer to enable me to contact a carer. They did respond but because this is a busy home they sometimes were a bit late. If I had an accident and wet my trousers they cleaned me up and changed me. It was done
very quickly and they were aware of my privacy. The food is very varied which I can choose from. I think it lacks in fresh fruit. The room is quite small and makes it difficult for staff to use the various pieces of equipment necessary to move it anywhere. I think they are short of equipment.

Reply from Clare Sheehan, Careline Advisor at St Margaret's Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to submit a review and for your kind words. At HC-One we strive to provide excellent kind care and will happily make more fresh fruit available for residents. We are sorry that you found the room you stayed in small, we have differing sizes of rooms available in St Margarets and would be happy to show residents different rooms as and when they are available. We have a good supply of medical equipment including Safer people handling support devices for our team to utilise. Once again thank you for sharing your experience with us.


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Review from T C (Respite Resident) published on 4 April 2024
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My experience has been as the 'best possible'. Thank you St Margaret's Care Home. Everything has been totally satisfactory.

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Review from R W (Daughter of Resident) published on 5 January 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5

Reading the other recent reviews makes me wonder if the levels of care that is provided differs depending on the care needed or the reason behind someone's residency.
This was my first experience of a nursing home so maybe my expectations were too high but as a daughter of someone who needed extensive
palliative care, I felt my dad's very short period here was extremely uncomfortable for both him and his supporting family.
I will take this up with the nursing home separately in the new year but if you are looking at palliative care options then I urge you to do your research and ask questions with regards to what the nursing care looks like before you select this establishment.

Reply from Clare Sheehan, Careline Advisor at St Margaret's Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to complete a review for St Margaret’s Care Home. We were very disappointed to hear that your experience was not as expected and would welcome you to make an appointment with the Home Management Team to discuss your experience in detail. At HC-One we pride ourselves on providing a kind and caring service to our residents and their loved ones and take all concerns extremely seriously.


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Review from K D (Daughter of Resident) published on 11 December 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mother has been a resident of St Margaret's Care Home for almost a year. The care she receives is excellent. All of the staff are thoughtful and caring and do a wonderful job in caring for my mother. She is very comfortable and contented and when she has confusion and is unsettled, as she has dementia,
they skillfully are able to support her. Mum loves the company, the meals, her room, the activities and the staff. Thank you so much. My sister and I find it very helpful to be able to talk with staff too.

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Review from Robin T (Resident) published on 8 December 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is my first taste of a care home and find it very good indeed in all aspects, except the food, plenty of it but most of it is overcooked 'boiled to death', otherwise, I am very happy here and the staff are great.

Reply from Julie Caygill, Hospital Liaison Team Administrator at St Margaret's Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to complete a review and for your high ratings in most areas, it is most appreciated. We can see that a rating of 2 stars has been given in the food and drink area and would like to invite you to discuss this with us. At HC-One we pride ourselves on providing residents with an excellent service and design our menus with care, considering healthy nutrition for all. We offer alternatives to every meal plan and are happy to discuss individual preferences for residents. Once again, thank you for taking the time to complete this review.


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Review from L H (Daughter of Resident) published on 6 December 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The staff are very good, friendly, caring and very considerate towards my mam's needs.
The rooms are good and kept very clean.

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Review from Alan B (Son of Resident) published on 5 December 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have always found the staff in general to be pleasant and friendly when I visit but I have realised that the staff don't just look after my Dad's needs, they actually care about him. To hear them today describe him as special, despite the challenges that he presents says it all. Thank you to St Margaret's
care home staff for the excellent care Dad receives.

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Review from Heather M (Daughter of Resident) published on 5 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

During a recent visit, I was quite disturbed by the fact that there were no permanent staff on duty, other than the supervisor. The staff were all foreign some with very little English.
This was making communication with residents very difficult. I realise within the care sector there is a staffing
shortage but I think it would be beneficial to have at least one permanent member of staff on duty. My family are still finding getting to speak to Mum on the phone very difficult it can sometimes take all day to get through.

Reply from Julie Caygill, Hospital Liaison Team Administrator at St Margaret's Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to complete a review regarding your Mother. I am pleased to hear that you feel the cleanliness of the home is good and people are treated with dignity and feel safe. We really appreciate your feedback and your understanding of recruitment within the care sector. There are a number of new staff who were working for the agency but are now working for St Margaret’s Care Home on a permanent basis. We will review the rotas to ensure that a familiar member of staff is on each community.
If you wish to discuss the matter further, please contact the Home Manager directly.


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Review from J W (Daughter of Resident) published on 11 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

The home has recently been extensively refurbished, mainly the areas that visitors see - shame they didn’t replace draughty windows and old carpets in some of the rooms. My mum's dining room is extremely cold when the wind blows. In the years my mum has been a resident, I have noticed a marked decline
in the standard of food (lower quality of meat and fish) and cold drinks when available are watered-down cordials; I guess all due to cost of living increases. High staff turnover, agency staff are used frequently, and permanent staff seem to genuinely care for residents. The cleaning team are excellent; my mum's room and units are spotless at all times. There is no garden, just a patio at the back where residents are encouraged to plant up pots for the summer and a small patio to the side with views of the castle; this doesn’t appear to be used (it is attached to the nursing floor). Entertainment and activities are few and far between, loud volume on the TV is used as entertainment in the lounge.

Reply from Julie Caygill, Hospital Liaison Team Administrator at St Margaret's Care Home

Thanks for taking the time to complete a review for St Margarets; we really appreciate your kind comments regarding the kind care colleagues give and the standards of hygiene in the home. We are delighted that you feel the standards of the refurbishment are good and thank you for your views regarding the need to replace windows and carpets, and we will share your comments with the Regional Surveyor. We appreciate your comments on the quality of the meat, fish and juice and the quality of the well-being activities, and we will discuss this with our residents and with the team to discuss ways in which we can improve these areas. The garden areas in the home are currently being prepared for Spring and are used by residents in the warmer weather, there are two areas available for residents to access and colleagues would be able to help you and your family to access these areas. Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your review with us.


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Review from Brian W (Husband of Resident) published on 15 March 2023
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have visited this home more than 200 times since May 2022 to see my wife, who has Alzheimer's. I have always found the staff be it admin, caring, catering, cleaning, nursing, laundry or hairdressing, to be approachable, kind and considerate. They do a difficult job under trying conditions, and I commend
what they do.

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Review from K B (Daughter of Resident) published on 20 December 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I feel that my mam is well cared for at St Margaret's Care Home. All staff are friendly and easy to talk to, towards myself and my mam. Nothing is too much trouble. Mam is settled at St Margaret's. Her room is kept clean, and so is the rest of the home. Mam is treated with dignity, and her needs are
well met.

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Review from L B (Daughter of Resident) published on 19 December 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am very happy with the care and support my father receives at St Margaret's. The staff are amazing - incredibly dedicated, supportive and patient. I can't praise them highly enough. Dad is very happy at St Margaret's. They are always very supportive of myself too.

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Review from C S (Wife of Resident) published on 28 October 2022
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Exceptional, caring staff where nothing is a trouble. The care and patience my husband receives are gratefully received and appreciated. The home is kept clean, as is bedding/clothing. Husband's nursing staff closely monitor him and his medical requirements. Grateful - thanks to all staff.

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Current Review Score: 9.1 (9.090)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.1 (9.090) out of 10 for St Margaret's Care Home is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.1 out of 5 from 16 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 12 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 4.090 for St Margaret's Care Home is calculated as follows: ( (76 Excellents x 5) + (66 Goods x 4) + (36 Satisfactorys x 3) + (7 Poors x 2) + (3 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 188 Ratings = 4.09

  • 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 St Margaret's Care Home is based on 12 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 60 registered maximum number of service users is 12, which has been reached with 12 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: 11 Feb 2020

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 (4)

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Frequently Asked Questions about St Margaret's Care Home

What types of Care is St Margaret's Care Home registered for?

Older Person Care, Dementia, Respite Care & Physical Disability are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.

What additional types of Care does St Margaret's Care Home provide?

Palliative Care, Convalescent Care, Separate Specialist Dementia Care Unit & Own GP if required are other types of care provided.

How many Rooms does St Margaret's Care Home have?

There are 60 Single Rooms.

What are the Facilities & Services at St Margaret's Care Home?

Own Furniture if required, Close to Local shops, Near Public Transport, Minibus or other transport, Lift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Television point in own room & Residents Internet Access are some of the Facilities & Services.

How far is St Margaret's Care Home to the centre of Durham?

0.3 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.