The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Franklin House Limited

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Franklin House, Franklin Street, Oldham, OL1 2DP (0161) 678 7870

Provided and run by:
Franklin Care Group Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of Assessment: 19 to 21 January 2026.

This service is a residential care home providing support to people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 35 people lived at the service.

We carried out this focused assessment in response to concerns about the quality and safety of care people received.

People were protected from the risks of abuse and staff were trusted to keep them safe. The provider had systems in place to review and investigate accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns.

The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Measures were in place to ensure people received the support in the least restrictive way possible. Care records contained the relevant level of information in relation to people's capacity and any deprivation of people's liberty (DoLS) authorisations.

Risks to people were assessed and actions were taken to reduce the risk of harm. Care plans provided guidance for staff to ensure people received safe and responsive care and support.

Recruitment checks were robust to ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. Staff had the necessary safety checks in place before starting work and completed a full induction. We were not assured there were always sufficient staff to meet people’s needs.

Medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences, however, the provider did not always make sure medicines and treatments were recorded appropriately.

Policies and procedures were in place to promote people's independence, choice and control. We observed staff supporting people and encouraging their independence and choice. Activities had increased since the last inspection.

The provider complied with legal equality and human rights requirements, including avoiding discrimination and having regard to the needs of people with different protected characteristics.

Staff praised the registered manager, deputy manager the wider management team. Staff spoke positively about the support they received.

Recording systems were not always accurate and the provider’s auditing systems were not always robust. The registered manager updated their auditing tools during the inspection.

Processes were in place to ensure learning happened when things went wrong and examples of good practice to support further learning were shared. Systems and processes supported ongoing learning and development.

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of assessment 15 May to 17 May 2024.

This assessment was carried out in response to information we had received about the service. People were protected from the risks of abuse and staff were trusted to keep them safe. The registered manager understood safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff we spoke with were confident to report concerns. The registered manager responded positively to feedback about moving and handling procedures and took immediate action to mitigate an identified risk. Staff received an induction, ongoing training, and felt supported by the management team. The home was clean and tidy and staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment. Documentation and audits relating to medicines management required improvement. Relatives were able to visit the service at any time. Staff encouraged people to be independent and offered people choice, but further development was needed to support choices for people living with a diagnosis of dementia. The management team sought regular feedback from staff and residents and acted on this. The management team was committed to caring for people safely and were receptive to feedback from the inspector during the assessment. We spoke with 9 members of staff including the provider, registered manager, deputy, activity co-ordinator, chef, senior care workers and care workers.

19 February 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Franklin House is a care home that provides 24-hour residential care for up to 39 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 34 people living at the home.

We found the following examples of good practice.

The home was clean and well-maintained. The communal areas had recently been refurbished and provided pleasant spaces for people to spend time in.

There was a screening procedure in place for visitors to the home, to help minimise infection transmission. This included completion of a health questionnaire, temperature checking and completion of a lateral flow COVID-19 test.

Staff had received infection prevention and control training, including how to safely put on and take off PPE. There was plenty of PPE available throughout the home and we observed staff wearing it correctly.

People who used the service and staff were regularly tested for COVID-19 in line with government guidance and had been vaccinated against it.

Staff helped people to stay in touch with family and friends through phone and video calls and through social media. Some ‘window’ visits were permitted.

The service had coped well with a recent outbreak of COVID-19.

19 December 2018

During a routine inspection

Franklin House is a care home that provides 24-hour residential care for up to 38 people. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people living there. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Franklin House is situated in the centre of Oldham. The home, which is single storey, has single room accommodation, all with en-suite facilities. There is a large, well-maintained enclosed garden, with shrubs, trees, garden furniture and a summer house.

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 19 and 20 December 2018. The CQC last inspected Franklin House in June 2016, when the service was rated as ‘Good’, overall. Since then, the service had been sold. This was the first CQC inspection of the service under its new ownership.

The service had an experienced registered manager, who had been in their post for over five years. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The building was secure, clean and well maintained. The communal lounge/dining room was nicely decorated and there was a large attractive garden. There were effective infection control and prevention measures within the service. Checks and servicing of equipment, such as for the gas, electricity and fire-fighting equipment were up-to-date.

There were systems in place to help safeguard people from abuse. Staff understood what action they should take to protect vulnerable people in their care. Recruitment checks had been carried out on all staff to ensure they were suitable to work in a care setting with vulnerable people. At the time of our inspection there were sufficient staff to provide people with the support they needed.

A safe system of medicines management was in place. Medicines were stored securely and records showed that staff received training and competency assessments before they were permitted to administer medicines.

Risk assessments had been completed. These helped identify if people were at risk from everyday hazards, such as falls. Where risks had been identified, there were plans in place to guide staff so that people were kept safe.

People were supported by a stable staff team, who knew the residents well. New staff received an induction to the service and the training matrix showed that all staff had completed recent training in a range of topics. This helped them to maintain their knowledge and competence. Management carried out regular supervision and observation of staff. This ensured the standard of their work was monitored and gave them the opportunity to raise any concerns or worries.

Staff encouraged people to make choices where they were able. People’s independence was encouraged and promoted. The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Care staff at Franklin House monitored people’s health. Where specific healthcare needs were identified, the service liaised with health care professionals for specialist advice and support. People were supported to eat a well-balanced diet and were offered a choice and variety of good quality, home-cooked meals. People were encouraged to provide feedback about the service through residents’ meetings. There was an ‘open door’ management approach, which ensured any concerns people had about the service were dealt with promptly.

People who used the service and relatives were complimentary about the staff and management team. Staff interacted with people in a kind, caring and patient way, and respected their privacy and dignity. Activities were provided. Where people were unable to take part in group social events, staff and the activities coordinator spent time with people on an individual basis.

The management team provided good leadership of the service and was committed to maintaining and improving standards. Audits and quality checks were undertaken on a regular basis and any issues or concerns addressed with appropriate actions.