Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Durham Road, Birtley, Chester le Street DH3 2BH
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9.7 64 Reviews
  • Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home, Chester le Street
Appletree Grange is located between Newcastle and Durham, in the historic town of Chester-le-Street. The facility provides exceptional residential care and also provides first-class person-centred dementia care in a Memory Lane Community.

A team of highly-qualified and attentive staff really focuses on the individual needs of residents with a tailored care plan for each person. The activities programme is also crafted to meet the interests and hobbies of all residents.

Along with accommodation for dementia and Alzheimer’s sufferers, Appletree Grange also welcomes individuals in need of temporary respite care or long-term residential care.

Care Provided

Primary Care Categories

  • Older Person Care
  • Dementia

Length of Stay

  • Permanent Care
  • Respite Care

Care Types Provided

  • Residential Care
  • Dementia Residential Care
  • For a maximum of 32 Service Users

Dementia Care Types

  • Mild Dementia
  • Moderate Dementia
  • Advanced/Complex Dementia

Other Care Provided

  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Stroke
  • Palliative / End of Life Care
  • COPD/Pulmonary Disease

Facilities

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

Funding & Fees

Weekly Charges per Person

  • Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1116

This Weekly Fee rate is an indication only of a typical standard fee rate for a resident living in a standard, comfortable room. A final Weekly Fee rate will be confirmed once we have carried out a pre-admission needs assessment.

These prices are only a guideline, please contact Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home to find out the exact price for your requirements.

Funding Types Accepted

  • Self Funding (Private)
  • Local Authority with Top Up
  • Local Authority
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Good to Know

Person in charge

  • Ben Patterson (General Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Criteria

  • Ages 55+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: Yes
  • Last Refurbishment: 2003
  • Number of floors: 2

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (32)

Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home Reviews (64)

Total of 64, showing 1-20
9.7

Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.656) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home has 64 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A very pleasant environment for elderly people. Very homely. Staff and management are lovely and very helpful.

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Hello, Thank you for your views on the service. I will be sure to pass these onto the wider team here at Appletree Grange.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All of the staff were friendly and professional. My friend was difficult to deal with but they handled her very well. I was very happy with her care.

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Hi, Thank you, I will be sure to pass your kind words onto the wider team here at Appletree Grange.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

I am writing this on behalf of my husband, who has dementia, and I am his wife and carer. I booked my husband for respite care at Appletree Grange while I was in hospital. This was his second visit. I cannot fault the manager & staff at Appletree who went out of their way to welcome my husband and make
him feel comfortable. He wasn't settling very well, and the staff showed care and compassion for which I was very grateful. I asked him if he liked the home, and he said the staff and food were lovely, but he didn't like his bed.

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Hi, Thank you for your feedback, we appreciate the time you took to write the review and strive for excellence here at Appletree Grange. We are glad you husband enjoyed his respite stay here at Appletree Grange. Thank You

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would like to start by saying the staff are amazing with the very challenging job they do every day. The home has a new manager who is doing a very good job. The home is being refurbished which was in great need. The staff keep me informed of things I need to no about my mams care and her needs. They
do lots of activities with the clients fun stuff on top of everything else they do.


Thank you to everyone at Appletree for all you do

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Hi, Thank you for your feedback. We thrive to make the best possible living experience for residents who are living here at Appletree Grange.Thanks

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff very good and really happy. My mother in law settled well due to kindness of the staff. Food lovely. Drinks always on the go.

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Hi,Thank you for your review, we are glad that your Mother- in - law has settled in well here at Appletree Grange.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Stayed with my dad until an ambulance arrived at 12 at night. As I live in London I can't explain how great full I was knowing dad wasn't on his own
I really appreciated there care and understanding to the situation

Reply from Jane Longstaff, On behalf of Appletree Grange at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

In the few months my husband has been in care, I found the staff very caring, that includes all staff from Management to Domestics. All my husband's needs have been taken care of and privicy and dignity has been shown to him. I would recommend Appletree Grange to anyone who may need care.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, On behalf of Appletree Grange at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The care home was very quick to respond to my inquiry for respite care admission. They made the necessary arrangements with the hospital before discharge. That took a weight off my shoulders during an acutely difficult period. On admission to the care home, my relative was assessed for risk of falls
and appropriate measures were quickly put in place. I have observed that there is a very good ratio of staff to clients. There are weekly GP visits. The management is quick to respond to queries from clients' next of kin. I have had no cause to make a complaint about this establishment in the six weeks that I have been dealing with it. I think that it is a very good care home.

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Hello, thank you for your feedback. We are really pleased to hear such positive feedback and that your family member is happy and content here at Appletree Grange.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My mum has been a resident of Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home since February 2024. The staff in the care home are fabulous! My mum is happy and looked after with the utmost care and dignity. There are lots of activities for the residents to enhance their day and ensure they feel valued. I must
mention the new manager who joined in October 2024. He is fantastic and has introduced new initiatives and ideas all of which have further improved the home. Well done!

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My first impression when I entered the home was that it was a very happy place. The staff were very friendly and professional. The atmosphere was so relaxed. I felt sure my husband would be well cared for.
He has a lovely room looking out onto the road which he likes because he loves to watch what
is going on. I am so glad he is able to stay here.

Reply from Ben Patterson, General Manager at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot praise too highly what I think of the care, the staff and the food that my wife gets since she came into Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home about one month ago.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, On behalf of Appletree Grange at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

As a friend of the service user, I can only comment on a limited number of categories. I have found the staff to be welcoming, friendly, and helpful. The home is clean and well cared for, with renovations currently ongoing. The residents are well presented in clean clothes with attention to personal
care, for example, hair and cleanliness.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, On behalf of Appletree Grange at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since my mother came to Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home, I have been more than happy with the care from the staff. They always keep me updated with mUm's care plan and her well-being.
Manager and staff are always busy with the residents, making sure they are well looked after.
Nice to see that
all areas are getting refurbished.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, On behalf of Appletree Grange at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

From the moment my mother-in-law came to this home, I felt as if she was totally cared for, the manager and now they have a temporary manager and all staff are fabulous. The home is currently getting redecorated to a very high standard and there are daytime activities which help their days being entertained.
I can't stress enough about the fantastic staff.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, On behalf of Appletree Grange at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Clean, tidy rooms.
Friendly, efficient staff.
Mother receives the care and attention she needs.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager ' North at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My parent receives excellent care from staff. Manager and carers are friendly and welcoming any time of day or night. Activities were amazing, but have dwindled off recently, hopefully, this will pick up again soon. I definitely recommend Appletree Grange to potential new residents and families.
However,
the home is let down by Barchester and needs an upgrade inside and out. The building is unappealing and doesn't do justice to the wonderful staff inside. Rooms are shabby and need painting, curtains and bedspreads are dull and dingy, drawers, wardrobes are old and need replacing with furniture fit for purpose. Barchester claims they have invested in refurbishments since 2015, but it appears Appletree has been overlooked; maybe the refurbishments are focused on the bigger, more lucrative homes. Thanks to the dedicated staff my parent is happy, safe and content and because of dementia unaware of their surroundings, but families are aware. It saddens me that loved ones and staff seem to have been forgotten by the owners.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager ' North at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to write a review for Appletree Grange and for your very kind words about our staff. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and to the quality standard that we expect within every Barchester home, your feedback will be shared with all our team members. I am sorry to hear you feel our home décor and facilities are not up to standard. Barchester has been investing in a major refurbishment programme since 2015 which goes into established homes and works with the home staff and residents to create wonderful redesigns and updates to ensure our homes reflect the high standard of service we provide. I appreciate your feedback and will certainly look at areas we can improve the environment going forward.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Appletree Grange staff made my dad's stay at the care home a contented one they treated him with care, dignity and most importantly made him happy. Unfortunately, my dad died on the 14th of April 2023 but only the Friday before his death he was dancing with the carers as they had a singer performing.
We will always be grateful to the manager and her team for looking after him.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager ' North at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This review is related to the end-of-life care our mother received. The professional support from four particular members of staff and others was outstanding. Their commitment to our mother's comfort, dignity, medical, spiritual and social needs was outstanding. She died peacefully, pain-free and in
comfort. In addition, the support to the family was compassionate, kind and caring. This is professional residential care at its best. Thank you.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager ' North at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Condolences to you and the family at this time. Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff and home are very good.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager ' North at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Always friendly, and Granny is always very happy.

Reply from Jane Longstaff, Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager ' North at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

Thank you for your review. We value all feedback as this helps us to improve our service where required. Thank you also for your positive comments regarding our home and team, who work hard to deliver high standards of quality care at all times. I will pass on your feedback to the team.

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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.656)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.656) out of 10 for Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home 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 16 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 16 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 4.656 for Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home is calculated as follows: ( (129 Excellents x 5) + (46 Goods x 4) + (7 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 183 Ratings = 4.656

  • 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 Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home is based on 16 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 32 registered maximum number of service users is 6.4, which has been reached with 16 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.

Regulatory Rating

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating

Date: 6 Apr 2022

Overall
Good

  • Caring

    Good
  • Effective

    Good
  • Responsive

    Good
  • Safe

    Good
  • Well-led

    Requires improvement

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

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Awards / Recognitions (12)

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Meet the Team (4)

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Ben Patterson

Job Title: General Manager

Joined: 2022

Hi, my name is Ben and I am the General Manager here at Appletree Grange. Welcome to our website!


I have worked for Barchester since 2022, bringing my experience and dedication to my role. Through my experiences, I have developed a deep understanding of both the operational and clinical aspects of care services. I began my career at Barchester as a Deputy Manager at our sister home North Park, where I honed my skills in person centred care, team leadership and compliance management. I was then seconded into my role as Implementation Lead for our new e-Care Platform, I was responsible for driving the adoption of the new social care model across our 250 homes and hospitals, and I have a wealth of experience in change management because of this role.

David

David Scott

Job Title: Head Chef

Hi, my name is David and I am the Head Chef here at Appletree Grange. I bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the home and have worked in the hospitality sector since I was 17 years old. I have previously cooked in hotels, restaurants, and in the army. Cooking is a passion of mine and I love seeing our lovely residents enjoying their meals. Here at Appletree Grange, we provide a wonderful choice of delicious and wholesome dishes. The food and the dining experience at Appletree Grange is recognised as an integral part of the lifestyle here at the home and I am responsible for managing the catering team, ensuring they provide a quality catering service to all our residents, guests and visitors.

Leigh

Leigh Cameron

Job Title: Carer

Joined: 2022

Hi, I’m Leigh, I joined Appletree in September 2022 as a Care Assistant and I enjoy getting to know our residents, it’s a lovely environment for them and I love working here and hope to be here for many years to come. I love working as part of a team in delivering quality care and lifestyle for our residents - it feels like an extended family.

James

James Evans

Job Title: Kitchen Assistant

Joined: 2014

Hi, my name is James and I am a Kitchen Assistant at Appletree Grange and joined the home in 2014. I love my job and spending happy times with our residents and staff.


Appletree Grange is a very happy home and there is lots of laughter. This makes it a pleasure to come to work.

Frequently Asked Questions about Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home

What types of Care is Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home registered for?

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

How many Rooms does Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home have?

There are 32 Single Rooms.

What are the Facilities & Services at Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home?

Own Furniture if required, Pet Friendly (or by arrangement), 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 Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home to the centre of Chester le Street?

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

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Barchester Appletree Grange Care Home has an Enhanced Service - more info.