






Thistle Hill Care Home provides high-quality 24-hour nursing and specialist dementia care in its dedicated Memory Lane Community. The home offers skilled care for younger people with physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, and has close links with the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The aim is to improve the quality of life for every resident by providing care in a safe and homely environment. The team of highly qualified staff focus on...
Care Provided by Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
- Younger Adults
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 93 Service Users
Dementia Care TypesMild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- COPD/Pulmonary Disease
- Bariatric Care/Obesity
- Convalescent Care
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
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. For nursing care, Weekly Fee rate will be dependent on personal needs.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Barchester Healthcare Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Dannie Tsoneva (Senior General Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Mixed (no single-gender units)
- Ages 18+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Last Refurbishment: 2015
Room Information
- Single Rooms (93)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (93)
Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home Reviews (73)
Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home has a Review Score of 8.8 (8.795) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home has 73 reviews.
My father has been at Thistle Hill for 4 weeks now. He is on his final stage of life. The staff are supportive and caring. They are approachable and understanding of both my father and my needs. They look after all aspects of his care. He's always clean, clean shaven and in clean clothes. All the staff at Thistle hill are friendly and are always smiling, making it a happy place to be, even under such sad circumstances .
Good accommodation although the luxurious bed was actually too wide. Chose Thistle Hill because of the physiotherapist availability. Joe was very helpful, honest, supportive and realistic. I enjoyed the food.
Thanks for this lovely review. It was a pleasure to have you stay with us. Please come and visit us again soon at one of our events or just pop and in and say hi.
My son has complex physical & mental needs. His care needs change hour by hour, night & day. I was very worries initially that the attention to detail required to care for my son would vary from carer to carer. However, after an initial settling period, I am now confident the knowledge & care required is available for him at Thistle Hill. From having so much stress & lack of sleep I am able to start relaxing. As problems or health concerns crop up, the staff are willing to discuss & resolve issues straight away. I can highly recommend this excellent facility.
hard work and dedication of our team. We'll make sure it's shared and
celebrated with those involved. If you have any further comments, please do
get in touch.
My brother is really happy at Thistle Hill. He is unable to speak but manages to communicate with the staff who have really got to know and support him. His care has been excellent.
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
All the members of staff I met were very very polite and helpful especially the nursing staff, the lady on reception and the lady assistant manager. It seemed that nothing was too much trouble for the staff to benefit the patients and the visitors and everyone was looked after very well.
The buildings outside and gardens were kept to a very high standard and the premises internally were also maintained to a very high standard.
Having had parents who required nursing care later in life and having seen and been in many nursing homes over the years, the Thistle Hill Care Home was far and above the best I have seen.
Congratulations.
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
The home has just been re-furbished to a high standard. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a 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
Dad wanted to go to Thistle Hill because he came from Knaresborough. He was on end of life, & the care & support was 5 star. The support to my sister & myself was fantastic & feed us cake. Wonderfull caring place
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
Wouldn't recommend this home at all.
Thanks for taking the time to leave your review. Were sorry to read of your concerns with our Thistle Hill Care Home, and grateful you've raised these with us. We're not aware of any concerns raised to ourselves or the home of this nature prior to your review, and we do ask if you have concerns...
The care home used to be a happy place with many regular staff. Many of these staff have now left and, although new staff are very good, there appears to be a real shortage of staff and morale is low. I feel this is contributing to my brother's depression in the past few weeks.
Thanks for taking the time to leave your review. We value feedback and work with families to continuously review and improve our offerings where appropriate. Were sorry that you have concerns around our staffing levels, wed like to reassure you our staffing levels are aligned with residents needs...
Mum was treated with genuine care and respect at all times and as her health deteriorated, we were consulted and updated regularly.
We always had peace of mind that she was in the right place and we are grateful to all those who looked after her so well.
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
When we have raised issues with Nicky, she has been proactive and spoken to staff on our behalf. The permanent staff are nice and caring. However, the time between a patient pressing the call button and anyone responding - especially at night - is incredibly slow. Many of the contracters (non-permanent staff) seem to have little to no idea what they are doing, which is worrying. But the permanent staff are good. There is a lack of consistency.
Thanks for taking the time to leave your review, and especially your compliments about our staff which we'll be sure to pass on for you. Call bells are answered as efficiently as possible, and were not aware of your concerns mentioned being raised prior to your review. If you'd like to share...
Since moving in 9 months ago staff have been amazing dealing with some very challenging behaviour. I have absolutely no worries and now know he is a complete contrast to the previous home he was in.
Thank you for your kind words. We do our best to meet the needs of our residents and make their life enjoyable.
My husband has been at Thistle Hill since August 23. His transition from the hospital to the care home was quite a struggle for my husband but through the wonderful and professional staff, my husband soon got used to it. My husband can be challenging but all staff handled him v v well. I feel that my husband's room could do with a coat of paint and maybe a new carpet, but in the big scheme, that is not a priority. The management are delightful including the caretakers, kitchen staff and housekeeping who all work so hard. The grounds are fantastic with not much disruption due to building work.
Thank you for your kind words, which I will pass onto the staff team. It is really nice that the staff get positive feedback. I can certainly speak with you and your husband regarding decorating. our Head of Maintenance man will be happy to help.
My mother has been cared for in this delightful home since November 2021. The staff are extremely personable and caring and I have never had a single complaint or issue regarding my mother's care over the last, almost, three years. She is treated with dignity and respect. Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home is a very well-run home, my emails are always responded to promptly and there is a warm and welcoming atmosphere on entering the home. I would have no hesitation recommending this home to others.
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.
I cannot thank Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home staff enough for all the their care, support and kindness they have given to our uncle. We have seen him come on leaps and bounds whilst in their care. They have given him 100% care and attention, its a shame he can't stay here. Thank you all so very very much.
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.
I'm also aware that one carer spent her lunch break yesterday chatting with my partner's father who was distressed. How kind is that?
Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words, the staff will be pleased to hear this. We always try to support people who may be having a bad day and make their day a little better.
Thistle Hill gardens are lovely and peaceful with a wooded area to walk through next to open fields. Highly recommend and many thanks to the staff.
It was a pleasure to care for Mum, what a lovely lady she was. Thank you for the kind words which I will pass on to the Ripley team.
It was of great comfort to know that my grandfather was safe and cared for in the final months of his life. Thank you to all of the staff who helped him.
It was a pleasure to care for your grandfather and I will pass your kind words on to the staff team.
She received excellent end-of-life care. On the day of her passing the staff were still able to connect with Mum and tend to her needs.
Thank you for your kind words which I will pass onto the staff team. Mum was a pleasure to have and I am glad we were able to support her at the end of her life.
They were all professional and friendly which helped to make this very traumatic time for the family a little easier.
Thank you for your kind words, which I will share with the staff. I am glad we could make things a little easier for you.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 06 July 2023Good
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- SafeGood
- Well-ledGood
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (79) & Events (0)
- 29 Jun 2026
Barchester’s Thistle Hill Care Home in Knaresborough has teamed up with a local Colour Analyst professional Elaine Gill from House of Colour to help us discover how to choose colour...
- 29 Jun 2026
Some of our residents enjoyed a lovely afternoon wander around our Charlotte’s Way, woodland walk in the grounds of the home, making the most of the warm weather and beautiful...
- 29 Jun 2026
We were delighted to welcome children from Red Kite Nursery for our monthly intergenerational visit. This month’s theme was Under the Sea, and residents and children enjoyed a live virtual...
There are no upcoming events for Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home.
Awards / Recognitions (16)
- 09 Jun 2026Recipient: Barchester Healthcare Ltd
- 09 Jun 2026Recipient: Barchester Healthcare Ltd
- 15 Apr 2026Recipient: Barchester Healthcare Ltd
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home.
Meet the Team (9)

Hi, my name is Dannie, and I am currently the General Manager here at Thistle Hill Home.
I have worked in the healthcare sector since 1996. I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. My career has progressed over the years, including spending many years in the Cardiology Unit and Intensive care, and I am proud to have received my Bachelor's in Nursing in 1996. I am very passionate about ensuring the residents receive the best care and experience.
I work with a dedicated and supportive team that aims to achieve the best for the home. I look forward to welcoming you to our home.

Hi, my name is Pratheesh, and I am Deputy Manager here at Thistle Hill Care Home
I started working in care as helping others and making a difference gives me purpose and drive and I continuously strive to improve my skill set every day so that the residents receive the best possible care and so that I can lead the team well – I have now been promoted to Deputy General Manager and I am excited for the future here at Thistle Hill Care Home.
I love getting to know the residents, their families, and I love the partnerships I’ve made with my colleagues and the wonderful team here.

Hi, my name is Debbie and I have been working at Thistle Hill since 2020 and started as a part-time admin assistant which I loved, however, the chance to become an administrator has recently arisen and I was appointed and started this position which is full-time in June. I am really enjoying my new position.
I like to spend my spare time with my family I have two grown-up daughters both of whom are nurses.
One of my daughters works here at Thistle Hill. I am a proud grandmother to two lovely granddaughters who are nine and two.
I like to travel when this is permitted and love Corfu in Greece where I have been on holiday for 15 years. I recently went to Las Vegas with my younger daughter, where we spent time exploring, and visited the Grand Canyon via helicopter flying over the Hoover Dam.

Hi, my name is Rebecca, and I am the Admin Assistant here at Thistle Hill Care Home. I joined the team in 2026, previously working in care for the last 20 years. Joined the team to support with all aspects of the administration of the home to ensure it runs smoothly.
Providing excellent customer service is something I thrive on, going above and beyond for relatives and their families.
In my spare time, I spend time with my 5 grandchildren and love horse riding.

Joe is our wonderful in-house Physiotherapist at Thistle Hill Care Home. Joe is a very popular member of the team and residents love him. Joe is not only busy at work, he has a very busy time at home with two little ones - a boy and a girl, who he is so proud of. When he gets a minute to himself, Joe chills out by watching the football and playing football. Joe likes to do a bit of running and plays the piano.

I love to get to know our residents, creating wonderful, wholesome dishes for them to enjoy. Understanding their individual nutrition and dietary needs is very important, and we take great pride in knowing the food we serve helps to improve residents' well-being here at the home.

Stephen is responsible for maintaining the environment and equipment within Thistle Hill, thereby ensuring the comfort, safety and well-being of our residents.

I’m looking forward to bringing that passion into my work here and creating meaningful, enjoyable activities for everyone.
In my spare time, I enjoy working in my art studio and painting with watercolours.
I’m really looking forward to getting to know and working with the residents and families. If you see me around, please feel free to say hello!

My name is Jean, and I have lived at Thistle Hill since 2014. The carers are so good to me, and they feel like a second family.
The care team are always there for me, and no ask for help is ever too big or small.
I take great pride in being the Resident Ambassador. Every day I like to say good morning to everyone and make everybody a cup of tea or coffee.
I really enjoy helping in the office and welcoming guests as they come into the reception.
Frequently Asked Questions about Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home
What types of Care is Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home registered for?
Older Person Care, Dementia, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults are the registered (by the Care Quality Commission) categories of Care.
How many Rooms does Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home have?
There are 93 Single Rooms.
What are the Facilities & Services at Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home?
Own Furniture if required, Pet Friendly (or by arrangement), Smoking not permitted, Close to Local shops, Minibus or other transport, Lift, Wheelchair Access, Gardens, Bar/Café, Residents Kitchenette, Phone Point in own room, Television point in own room, Residents Internet Access are some of the Facilities & Services.
How far is Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home to the centre of Knaresborough?
1.1 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 Thistle Hill Care Home to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Barchester Thistle Hill Care Home has an Enhanced Service -more info.