Dovecote Residential Care Home

Hugar Road, High Spen, Rowlands Gill NE39 2BQ
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9.8 80 Reviews
  • Dovecote Residential Care Home, Rowlands Gill
Rated Good in every single area of their Care Quality Commission report (February 2025), Dovecote has a wonderful team of staff who are devoted to enriching the lives of their residents. They provide residential, dementia and respite care, which can be pre-booked.

A warm and welcoming home, it is surrounded by stunning large gardens with wheelchair friendly pathways.

The bedrooms and communal spaces, including light and airy lounges and dining rooms, are beautifully decorated, with many of bedrooms overlooking the gardens.

The staff, some of whom have been there for over 10 years, are passionate about the home being part of the local community. Every Wednesday, from 2pm to 4pm, they welcome local people along to play bingo and enjoy tea and cake with the residents, who love these regular events.

The residents also attend the High Spen Community Group, which is a big part of the local community.

The team are devoted to giving their residents a sense of belonging and purpose, ensuring they are actively involved in the running of the home.

The home is a hive of activity, with the residents enjoying everything from animal therapy and games afternoons, to a gardening club and trips out in the minibus.

Dovecote also has a ‘Magic Table’, a revolutionary piece of technology designed for people living with dementia, which encourages them to socialise through interactive light games, which encourage gentle movement and cognitive stimulation.

The home also has a hairdressing salon, for regular appointments with a mobile hairdresser.

Residents enjoy home-cooked food in the dining rooms, with everything from roast dinners with all the trimmings, to fish and chip Fridays, with home-baking each day for afternoon tea.
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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 61 Service Users

Dementia Care Types

  • Mild Dementia
  • Moderate Dementia

Other Care Provided

  • Palliative / End of Life Care
  • Convalescent Care

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

Funding & Fees

Weekly Charges per Person

  • Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1096
  • RESPITE Self-Funded Residential Care: from £1096

Our weekly fees are individual to each of our residents and are subject to a pre-admission assessment, which is required to understand the level of care and support needed. Our 2025 weekly care fees for residential care start from £1096, but may be in the region of 30% more*. This depends on your care needs and the type of bedroom that is right for you, from our standard rooms through to our premium bedroom options.


*If you require more specialist care such as 1-2-1 support, your weekly fee could be higher.

These prices are only a guideline, please contact Dovecote Residential 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

  • Lesley Dawson (Home Manager)

Local Authority / Social Services

Admission Criteria

  • Ages 65+

Care Home Design/Build

  • Purpose Built: No

Room Information

  • Single Rooms (61)

Dovecote Residential Care Home Reviews (80)

9.8

Dovecote Residential Care Home has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.800) out of 10, based on 17 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Dovecote Residential Care Home has 80 reviews.

Overall Experience
  • 54
  • 23
  • 3
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Date Published
  • 80
  • 4
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  • 17
  • 63
Reviewer Connection to Dovecote Residential Care Home
  • 23
  • 9
  • 6
  • 6
  • 5
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 3
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  • 3
  • 2
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  • 1
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Total of 80, showing 21-40
Review from E W (Daughter of Resident) published on 15 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Always Clean. Mama's well-fed and Mam loves the staff. Dogs are allowed in which Mam loves.
Reply from Lisa McCauley, Social media officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are pleased to hear about your mother's experience and will pass on your feedback to the team. Best wishes.

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Review from Lisa B (Daughter-in-law of Resident) published on 7 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Dovecote Residential Care Home has shown substantial improvements in the environment in the last few months. It is now a clean, welcoming and homely place. Staff are always friendly and appropriately warm and caring with residents. Since coming to Dovecote my father-in-law has started painting again,
which he had lost the will to do. He is also enjoying activities he previously would have avoided - gardening, dancing and bingo. We are really lucky to have the home on our doorstep.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you for such a wonderful review for Dovecote Residential Care Home - our team will really appreciate it. It's great to hear that your father-in-law has taken up painting again and is enjoying our activities. Best wishes, Fae.

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Review from Maggie T (Wife of Resident) published on 7 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Making the difficult decision to move my husband into residential care has been made so much easier for me by seeing the great care he is given at Dovecote. When assessing which home was better for him, I was immediately struck by the warm atmosphere and friendliness of the staff. This welcoming atmosphere
towards all residents and visitors contributes to the high standard of care. Attention has been given to all of my husband's needs to help him settle in and any problems he has had have been very well managed. I have found all the staff to be very helpful with any concerns I may have and they keep me updated about his wellbeing. Well done to everyone at Dovecote in what must be a very challenging job.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you so much for such a lovely review of our home. It is wonderful to hear how happy you are with the care our team provide and the attention your husband is given. Best wishes.

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Review from L B (Daughter of Resident) published on 1 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Whatever issue we raise is dealt with.
Nothing is a problem.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to review Dovecote Residential Care Home!

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Review from Evelyne H (Daughter of Resident) published on 1 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Since my mam came to this home two years ago, she has been treated with the utmost care. She can be very demanding, but the staff are all lovely with her. Any issues, you can go to the lovely management team, who only came this year and has turned the place around. Thank you to all who work here for
doing an amazing job.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you so much for your kind words about our home. It's wonderful to hear how happy you are with our management team and the care our team provide. Best wishes.

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Review from L H (Daughter of Resident) published on 28 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have no complaints about Dovecote Residential Care Home. Clean and pleasant.
Staff and management are pleasant and helpful, and also very caring.
Residents are treated with dignity.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you so much for taking the time to review our home and for your wonderful feedback! Best wishes.

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Review from Rachel M (Daughter of Resident) published on 26 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My mother has been a resident at Dovecote since January of this year, and I am very pleased with the level of care that she has received and which she continues to receive on a daily basis. The staff are incredibly welcoming and are always happy to 'go the extra mile' in keeping my mother safe, well
cared for and treated with respect and dignity. She is very content and settled, and the whole family has peace of mind knowing this. Well done to all at Dovecote!
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you for such a wonderful review for our team at Dovecote Residential Care Home - it is so appreciated! Best wishes.

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Review from M C (Son of Resident) published on 21 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff at Dovecote are very capable, well-informed, excellent communicators and very friendly. We are so pleased that we decided that Dovecote was the right home for Mum. My mother has advanced dementia, and this means that she can be unaware of what she really should be doing, such as not spending
all day in bed. All staff, from the manager and deputy, to the caring team, are aware of her care needs and work hard to ensure these are met. Their communication skills are outstanding. I receive constant feedback on her care and their interventions. I have a great deal of confidence in the staff and the care they deliver. They go out of their way to keep me and my sister updated, and when I'm visiting it is obvious that they take great care to make Mum feel at ease, respect her wishes, and maintain her dignity. She talks fondly about the staff, we have real confidence in their approach and the care Mum is receiving.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you so much for such a wonderful and heart-warming review. It is so appreciated by our team. Best wishes, Fae.

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Review from D C (Son of Resident) published on 19 April 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
All staff are very friendly and kind.
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Review from Glenn W (Son of Resident) published on 12 August 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
It is difficult for anyone to have a relative in care, but after initial communication problems, I am very happy with the care given to my mother. With Covid restrictions easing and the warmer months ahead, I feel positive about becoming closer to the Dovecote Residential and Nursing Home team.
Reply from Fae Doherty, Senior Marketing Officer at Dovecote Residential Care Home

Thank you for taking the time to review our home and for your kind words about the care your mother receives. If you have any more feedback, particularly about our rooms, do let us know by emailing care@sanctuary.co.uk, and we will be more than happy to help. Best wishes.

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Review from Sandra W (Daughter of Resident) published on 17 June 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The care for my dad is absolutely outstanding, his room is lovely and clean and his appearance is always very clean and tidy. The staff go above and beyond for you, I ring every day and they always have time to chat to say what he's been doing on a daily basis. They're always doing activities with the
residents. My dad is very happy in his own little world and us as a family know we definitely chose the right home for him with his dementia. It's been the worst 8 months of my life but the staff always put my mind at rest, I speak to him most days on the phone.
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Review from Gillian A (Granddaughter of Resident) published on 15 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
I have not visited properly inside the care home yet so cannot comment on procedures in place.
It appears to be safe for residents from what I can tell.
A distinct lack of information at times, which is very hard to understand. Messages are not returned when questions are asked.
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Review from Gillian B (Cousin of Resident) published on 15 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Staff are all friendly and helpful.
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Review from Stewart S (Brother of Resident) published on 15 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Very friendly, supportive and professional.
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Review from Bernard S (Son-in-law of Resident) published on 10 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Friendly and caring staff.
Resident seems to have had a problem with a visiting carer, she was upset when we visited her but incident is being investigated by staff.
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Review from Kim R (Daughter of Resident) published on 9 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
The staff of the home are second to none with their approach and caring and their empathy.
Noisy at times in day room.
Awaiting what exactly happened on Thursday, early morning, with an incident that we are a little confused about.
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Review from Michael R (Son-in-law of Resident) published on 9 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Outstanding care for my father-in-law, staff always have time every day I call to let us know what he's been doing on a daily basis. My father-in-law is very happy in his own little word. As a family, we are very happy with his care. His room is lovely, clean and his appearance is always clean and tidy.
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Review from L N (Husband of Resident) published on 9 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have found the atmosphere at Dovecote to be very friendly, caring and understanding. This appears to have been achieved by a very helpful and adaptable staff to whom nothing is a trouble. There is a good staff/resident relationship. A wide range of activities are available but unfortunately my wife's
situation restricts participation. However, the availability of the internet for communication purposes is invaluable.
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Review from Anne H (Cousin of Resident) published on 9 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Looked after well.
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Review from Gary M (Son of Resident) published on 9 June 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The home is in a very good area, very friendly staff and has a very good set-up. Everything just seems to fall into place.
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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.800)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.800) out of 10 for Dovecote Residential Care Home is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 17 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 17 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:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.800 for Dovecote Residential Care Home is calculated as follows: ( (165 Excellents x 5) + (30 Goods x 4) + (5 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 200 Ratings = 4.8
  2. 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 Dovecote Residential Care Home is based on 17 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 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
    2. 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 61 registered maximum number of service users is 12.2, which has been reached with 17 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. 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: 22 Oct 2024

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. View Latest Report

Bed Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (8)

Meet the Team (11)

Gillian

Gillian Armstrong

Job Title: Team Leader Joined: 2017

Gillian has worked for Sanctuary for over 6 years and she loves working with our residents.


"I am so passionate about care, so really believe this reflects in the standard of the work I do and care I give to our residents."

Amanda

Amanda Thacker

Job Title: Head Chef Joined: 1998

I have worked at Dovecote for 25 years and make sure all the residents have such a good balanced and nutritious diet with food they love to eat. I love to do home baking.

Julie

Julie Ackerley

Job Title: Care Assistant Joined: 2016

I have worked at Dovecote for 7 years and I love the residents. We are a really good team that work so well together.

Francesca

Francesca Atkinson

Job Title: Team Leader Joined: 2019

Working here gives me so much back - it’s very rewarding. I have a good rapport with the residents and it’s great to be part of the team here. I am a very approachable person, and I always have a smile on my face!

Lynne

Lynne Younger

Job Title: Administrator Joined: 2021

Lynne has worked for us at Dovecote since 2021 and 'loves being a part of a big team and being around and spending time with our residents'.

Harry

Harry Hopper

Job Title: Maintenance Operative Joined: 2023

I love interacting with the residents and the staff here are brilliant - it’s such a good place to work.
I am always told I do a good job I am really appreciated at Dovecote which is really good.

Gill

Gill Ord

Job Title: Care Assistant Joined: 2022

It’s so lovely to laugh with the residents and make them happy. Everyone at Dovecote is so friendly - and the staff are just brilliant to work with.

Tracy

Tracy Cummings

Job Title: Housekeeper Joined: 2013

My name is Tracy and I have worked here for 10 years.
I absolutely love the home and the residents. It is a lovely place to work and such a happy environment.

Alan

Alan Nairn

Job Title: Housekeeper Joined: 1998

My name is Alan and I have worked at Dovecote for 25 years.
I love working for our residents, it’s like an extended family.

Louise

Louise Foster

Job Title: Activities co-ordinator Joined: 2022

I like working with the residents and staff, they are wonderful it’s a lovely place to work.

Claire

Claire Wade

Job Title: Housekeeper Joined: 2022

I love working here. Dovecote is a fabulous place to work - the residents, the job and the staff, it’s all amazing!

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