- Care home
The Dale Residential Home
Assessment report published 10 August 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 29 June to 08 July 2026. The Dale Residential Home is a care home providing personal and nursing care to people aged 65 and over. At the time of the inspection, 9 people were living at the care home. We carried out a comprehensive assessment of the service covering all quality statements, in all key questions. This assessment was carried out due to the age since the last rating.At the last assessment we rated the service good, at this assessment the service is now rated requires improvement. We found 2 breaches of regulation relating to safe care and treatment and good governance. As a result, we have requested an action plan from the service. We found that staff recruitment records were not always complete and did not consistently contain evidence of relevant qualifications or completed induction records. We could not be assured that staff were receiving regular supervision or attending team meetings to support their development and share learning. Some people had not always received appropriate assessments under the previous Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) framework.
Medicines were not always managed in line with the service's policy, including gaps in temperature monitoring and the absence of ‘as and when’ medicine protocols. Environmental risks had not always been effectively managed. For example, first-floor windows did not have restrictors, large items of furniture had not been secured to walls, and there was no legionella risk assessment or evidence of regular flushing of water outlets. Observations during the assessment indicated a lack of meaningful activities to support people's wellbeing. Opportunities for people and their relatives to provide feedback about the service were also limited. Governance and oversight required strengthening. The systems and processes in place had not effectively identified the concerns found during the assessment.
However, we found that people were happy living at the service and spoke positively about the support they received. The service had kind, caring and committed staff who knew people well. Care plans were detailed and reflected people’s preferences. The service worked effectively with professionals, and people’s health needs were identified and responded to in a timely way. The service was clean and well maintained, and staff demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and how to protect people from the risk of harm. Throughout the assessment, the registered manager was open to feedback and demonstrated a willingness to make improvements to address the issues identified.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives spoke mainly positively about the care and support provided at the service. Feedback indicated people felt comfortable living in the service and were supported by staff who treated them with kindness and respect. People told us the service was clean and well presented. One person said, “I am really chuffed with my room; it is very clean, tidy and comfortable. The home is always clean.” The home was clean, tidy and free from malodours. People told us staff were “kind and caring”, and our observations showed staff interacting with people in a warm and respectful manner.
People and relatives told us the service was proactive in responding to changes in people's health and wellbeing. They described staff as recognising concerns and seeking appropriate support when required. This was supported by feedback from a healthcare professional, who said, “The staff are receptive to any health decline and follow our guidance.” People and relatives consistently described the registered manager as visible and approachable. Everyone we spoke with knew who the registered manager was and spoke positively about their presence within the service. Throughout the assessment, both the registered manager and staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's individual needs and preferences. People told us, “The manager is very friendly and approachable.” A relative commented, “The manager is very visible and very caring. They make sure everyone looks nice and well cared for. They listen to what you have to say.”
Feedback relating to activities and meaningful occupation was more mixed. Some people described limited opportunities for engagement and stimulation within the home. One person commented, “I don’t do much other than watch TV because it’s on. I only go outside to hospital appointments.” This reflected our observations during the assessment, where we saw limited organised activity taking place for some people.