Skip to content
CQC ExplainedEvery inspection report, in plain English

CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Littleborough Care Home

Littleborough Home for the Elderly

Regent Street, Littleborough, OL15 8BH

Goodpublished 9 February 2024, 2 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the service performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Good
Inspectors found effective safeguarding, suitable risk assessments, enough staff and safe recruitment. Medicines were managed safely, but records for fluid thickeners needed improvement.
Effective?
Good
People had assessments, trained staff, regular supervision, a balanced diet and access to healthcare. Staff followed the Mental Capacity Act and supported people to make choices.
Caring?
Good
People and relatives spoke positively about the care. Staff respected privacy and dignity, knew people well and encouraged independence.
Responsive?
Good
Care plans were detailed and person-centred. Comments about activities were mixed, and the home planned to recruit an activities coordinator and rebuild links with the local community.
Well-led?
Good
The home had effective management, audits and checks. The manager and staff worked with health services and other organisations to improve care.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, February 2024

Littleborough Home for the Elderly was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care, with some improvements still needed to the environment, activities and fluid-thickener records.

Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 3 January 2024. They spoke with 11 people living at the home, 5 relatives and staff. They observed a meal, looked around the building and checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.

People were supported by caring staff who respected their privacy, dignity and choices. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable training, good support with food and healthcare, and systems to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm.

All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Some toilets needed redecoration, comments about activities were mixed, and records for fluid thickeners needed improvement. The home gave assurances that the records were corrected and provided a refurbishment plan.

What inspectors praised
  • Enough staff

    Inspectors found enough staff to support people appropriately. Recruitment checks, including references and DBS checks, had been completed.

    Staff were recruited safely and there were sufficient staff to support people appropriately.from the report
  • Kind and respectful care

    Staff knew people well, respected privacy and dignity, and encouraged people to remain independent.

    Staff took steps to promote people's privacy and dignity.from the report
  • Good support with health

    People received help with food, weight monitoring and access to health and social care services when needed.

    People had access to a range of health and social care services and appropriate referrals had been made when required.from the report
  • Strong management

    The management team used audits, checks and staff meetings to monitor quality and safety.

    Regular audits and checks were carried out by the management team.from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Condition of some areas

    needs fixing

    The downstairs and upstairs toilets needed redecoration, with rusty pipework visible. Some dining room chairs were stained, although the provider supplied a refurbishment plan.

    In particular, redecoration was needed to both the downstairs and upstairs toilets, where rusty pipework was visible.from the report
  • Activities were limited

    minor

    People gave mixed comments about activities. One person said activities did not happen often, while the home was planning to recruit a dedicated activities coordinator.

    We received mixed comments about the provision of activities.from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01What refurbishment has been completed in the upstairs and downstairs toilets, and what work remains?
  2. 02Has a dedicated activities coordinator been recruited, and what activities are now available each week?
  3. 03How are fluid thickeners recorded, checked and linked to the care plans of people who need them?
  4. 04How will you make sure there are enough activities for people who do not want to spend much of the day watching television?
  5. 05How often are medicines and care records audited, and can families be told about any problems found?

This was an unannounced inspection that looked at all five key questions and included the home environment, care, medicines, staffing, records and infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 February 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Littleborough Home for the Elderly

4 rated inspections over 9 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.

  1. February 2024Goodcurrent rating
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Littleborough Home for the Elderly

  2. April 2021Inspected but not rated
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    We are reading this report · the original is on cqc.org.uk

  3. October 2017Goodstayed Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. May 2015Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. March 2015Requires improvement
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. September 2014

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  7. February 2014

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  8. March 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  9. March 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  10. November 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  11. August 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  12. December 2010

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 14 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.

Another option

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.

Nearby

Other care homes near Littleborough

The Four Seasons

Littleborough, OL15 · 0.6 km
Good
Residential
Rated 2 years agocare home