CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Century Healthcare
Ambleside Bank Care Home
High Street (Off Ince Green Lane), Lower Ince, Wigan, WN3 4RL
Rated Good: inspectors found the service performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, effective safeguarding, suitable risk assessments and safe medicines management. The home was clean and infection control procedures were effective.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found regular audits, action plans and meetings to monitor quality and improve care. People, relatives and staff described management as open, approachable and supportive.
What inspectors found, January 2024
Ambleside Bank Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe care and strong management, but there was no registered manager in post.
Inspectors visited on 10 and 12 January 2024. The first visit was unannounced. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, and checked care plans, risk assessments, medicines records, safety records, recruitment records and management audits.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, good infection control and suitable safeguarding arrangements. Accidents, incidents and falls were recorded and reviewed for lessons.
People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the home and its management. The inspection was focused only on Safe and Well-led. The other parts of the overall Good rating were carried forward from the last comprehensive inspection.
Staffing and safeguarding
There were enough staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Staff had safeguarding training and knew how to report concerns.
“Enough staff were deployed to keep people safe and meet their needs.” from the report
Medicines and records
People received medicines on time and as prescribed. Administration was clearly recorded, including arrangements for medicines given when needed.
“People received their medicines on time and as prescribed, with administration clearly recorded.” from the report
Cleanliness and infection control
Inspectors found the home clean, with up-to-date infection control policies and effective cleaning arrangements.
“The home was clean with effective cleaning and infection control processes in place.” from the report
Listening to people
The home sought people's views through meetings and surveys. It shared updates about actions taken in response to feedback.
“Meetings included a review of actions taken since the last meeting, so people could see their wishes or requests had been met.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The provider used audits, meetings and action plans to monitor the service and identify improvements.
“Action plans were used to identify areas for improvements. These were updated regularly to record progress made.” from the report
Registered manager application
minorThere was no registered manager in post during the inspection. The current manager had applied to register, but the application was still being assessed.
“At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.” from the report
- 01What is the current position of the manager's application to become registered?
- 02How do you currently check the quality of care in the areas not inspected in this report, especially Effective, Caring and Responsive?
- 03How do you use accident, incident and falls reviews to prevent similar events happening again?
- 04How do you make sure staffing levels increase if people's needs change?
- 05How do you show people and relatives what action has been taken after feedback?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings used for the overall Good rating were carried forward from the last comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 January 2024 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Ambleside Bank Care Home
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2024Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not ratedEffective: Inspected but not rated
- June 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 December 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.
Or stay at home with a private carer
Many people who look at care homes end up staying at home with a carer who comes in for a few hours a day, or lives in. PrimeCarers introduces you to self-employed carers you choose yourself: interviewed, ID and DBS checked, from about £20 an hour or £1,120 a week live-in.
Other services run by Century Healthcare Limited
4 other services on the CQC register. A pattern across a group tells you more than one report.