Inspectors had to intervene at one care home to stop a resident scalding themself
Meadway Court, in Stockport(Image: Google)
Two Greater Manchester care homes have been told they need to make improvements, the latest set of healthcare inspection reports reveals.
Stoneleigh House, in Oldham, was again found to be in breach of legal regulations, with ‘ongoing concerns’ raised over medicine management. Areas of the home were also found to be ‘not very clean’, despite issues with cleanliness having been flagged just months earlier.
Meanwhile, problems with staffing levels at Meadway Court, in Stockport, were also highlighted. Inspectors said they had to step in to stop a resident scalding themself because there were no employees immediately available to assist them.
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A resident there was also found to have a ‘significantly low body weight’ but was only referred to a dietician after inspectors raised concerns.
Here is a breakdown of Greater Manchester’s recently published CQC reports:
Oldham
Stoneleigh House care home, in Cooper Street, continued to fall short of inspectors’ expectations, receiving another ‘requires improvement’ rating from the CQC. The home had previously been found in breach of legal regulations in 2025 and, while inspectors noted some improvements, breaches were again found at this latest visit.
There were ‘ongoing concerns’ over medicine management, the report stated, particularly in relation to time sensitive medicines, medicines records, stock balances and guidance for ‘as required’ medicines.
Areas of the home were found to be ‘not very clean’. Skirting boards were dirty, walls had ‘splashes’ on mine, radiator cover were ‘dusty and dirty’ and a handrail was ‘sticky to touch’. Some of these concerns had been flagged with the home months early and action had been taken, but the issues had ‘reoccurred’ by the time of the CQC visit.
Some of the issues raised by the inspectors had already been identified by internal audits but had been resolved, the report added.
However, people said they ‘felt safe’ at the home. One told inspectors: “I’ve been living here about 11 months. I feel safe and happy here with all my friends.”
Staff were recruited safely and residents felt there were ‘always’ enough staff on shift to support them.
Rochdale
A ‘good’ rating was also issued to domiciliary care service Homecare For You Rochdale. Inspectors said risk assessments were completed when a new user started with the service and were reviewed regularly, helping to ‘keep people and staff safe’.
Most people received their care visits on time and users felt there were enough staff to meet needs. Care plans were also ‘regularly reviewed’ to ensure they reflected any changes in people’s needs or preferences.
People spoke ‘consistently positively’ about the service. One user said: “Three of them (carers) are like my little treasures.”A relative added: “The staff go beyond and above what’s needed. They’ve got to know [Relative] very, very well.”
One person who had been experiencing social isolation and loneliness was transferred to the service from a different provider. Their new care was described as ‘transformational’ for regaining their independence.
Inspectors said: “It enabled this person to become increasingly confident and feel less restricted, expressing a view they felt they had more control around their life. A truly moving aspect to this, was the fact this person was making progress in seeking to reach out once again to people that were important to them.”
New staff received a comprehensive induction into the service, including classroom-based learning and shadowing of care calls.
Salford
Oaklands Hospital, an independent hospital in Lancaster Road, was rated ‘good’ by inspectors this week. Operated by Ramsay Health Care UK Operations Limited, the hospital was praised for its care across three departments – diagnostic imaging, medical care and outpatient care.
Patients told inspectors they ‘always felt fully informed’ prior to diagnostic procedures, with the CQC saying risks were ‘fully considered’ and consent sought in advance. Risk assessments were also appropriately carried out in the two other departments, with patients confident they could ‘ask further questions and make informed decisions’.
In imaging, staff ‘closely monitored people before, during and after any scan or procedure to check they were comfortable’ and would ‘immediately’ pause or stop the procedure if the patient asked or was experiencing ‘any pain, anxiety or discomfort’.
Interactions between the nursing team and patients in medical care were described as ‘calm, positive and professional’, with staff consistently demonstrating respect and patients saying they were ‘friendly and caring’.
Service users on the outpatient pathway described their care as ‘excellent’ and ‘amazing’ and said staff would go above and beyond to support them.
The hospital was ‘visibly clean’, staff were suitably trained and there were enough people working at the service. Employees were described as ‘experienced’ and ‘knowledgeable’.
Medicines were largely managed safely, though there was some concern over prescriptions not being filled out in line with best practice in diagnostic imaging.
Fee-paying patients said they were ‘clearly informed’ about total costs, payment options and did not feel pressured to accept additional services or seek alternative providers. Rearranging appointments was described as ‘easy’.
The Gill Medical Centre, in Worsley, was also deemed ‘good’ by inspectors. Some 91pc of patients felt their needs were being met, with those working on reception described by the CQC as ‘aware of the needs of the local community’.
Reception staff used ‘digital flags’ to highlight specific individual needs of patients, such as longer appointments or for a translator.
Medicines and treatments were managed safely and in a way that met people’s ‘needs, capacities and preferences’. The GP surgery received a 99pc score in its most recent inspection control audit.
Training was up to date and there were ‘enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff’ working at the practice.
Stockport
Meadway Court is the second care home to receive a ‘requires improvement’ rating this week. The Bramhall-based service was criticised for its medicine management.
Not all medications were given in line with instructions, including medicines that should be taken before eating being given at the same time as those that should be taken after eating. One resident had missed a number of doses of their inhaler because there was none available. Medications were also not accurately documented in care plans, increasing the risk of unsafe care
A service user was found to have a ‘significantly low body weight’ but was only referred to a dietician after inspectors raised concerns.
There were also not always enough staff on shift to meet needs, the report added. Inspectors said they had to intervene to stop a resident scalding themself because there were no employees immediately available to assist them.
They also witnessed ‘extended’ delays in service users receiving assistance after using call bells. Despite this, one relative told inspectors there were actually more staff working during the inspection than there normally would be.
Not all of those working at the home were up to date with their training, the CQC added. Some staff ‘lacked sufficient knowledge in key areas, such as moving and handling and how to respond to people who may communicate through their behaviour’.
Care plans were not always followed, including in areas such as monitoring people’s weight, supporting adequate fluid intake, and providing appropriate support with continence care. One person required a modified diet as they were at risk of choking, but there was conflicting information in their care plan about the consistency of the food they needed.
Inspectors also found people’s risk assessments did not always ‘consistently provide the level of detail required to support safe and person-centred care’. Residents and their representatives were not always involved in conversations and decisions about risk management.
However, people told the CQC staff were ‘helpful’, ‘kind’ and ‘well-intentioned’. Residents said they felt ‘safe’ at the service.
Borough Care, which runs the home, said it was ‘disappointed’ with the outcome and ‘fully acknowledged the concerns identified’.
Director of care Lisa Morehead said: “We want to reassure residents, their families and the wider community that the CQC did not identify that any resident had been harmed or negatively affected by the concerns raised during their inspection. As with all of our homes, we continually review our processes and look for ways to strengthen the quality of care we provide.
“Around the time of the inspection, work was already underway to enhance our medicines recording processes and quality assurance systems. We have continued to build on this work, implementing further improvements to strengthen oversight and ensure we consistently meet every standard expected of us.
“The safety, wellbeing and dignity of our residents remain our absolute priority. Our colleagues continue to provide compassionate, person-centred care every day, and we are fully committed to delivering the improvements identified by the CQC and ensuring those improvements are sustained.”
Trafford
The Village Surgery, in Altrincham, was also praised by inspectors this week. Rating the GP ‘good’, the CQC said
Medicines were appropriately managed and patients understood how to safely take them and what to do if their condition did not improve or they experienced unexpected symptoms.
Staff were able to recognise a deteriorating patient and knew how to react in these situations, the report added. Patients were advised on risks related to their condition and actions to take if their condition deteriorated.
Some 93pc of service users said they would recommend the practice. Comments received from patients by the CQC included ‘excellent admin staff’ and ‘GPs and nurses are all really good’.
Recruitment was not always correctly done, however. One GP had not provided their DBS check and their file was missing the General Medical Council number and evidence of autism awareness training. These were later obtained.
A second ‘good’ rating was issued in Trafford this week for Urmston Group Practice. The GP surgery had ‘enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff’, inspectors said.
Some 92pc of patients said they felt staff had treated them with ‘care and concern’, with 93pc of people rating the practice as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. The premises and equipment were noted to be ‘visibly clean’.