Aigburth

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 14 October 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

People received care from staff who were consistently kind, attentive and knew them well. During the inspection, we observed warm, respectful interactions which demonstrated staff understood people’s individual needs, preferences and communication methods. People were listened to, involved in day-to-day decisions and supported in ways which promoted their independence and wellbeing. For example, we observed staff taking time to describe the position of food on a person’s plate using analogue clock-face directions because the person had sensory needs. This clear and individualised communication enabled the person to locate their food independently, participate in their meal with confidence and retain choice and control, while protecting their dignity.

Staff responded promptly when people needed assistance and did so without rushing them. Their calm and inclusive approach created a relaxed, friendly and homely atmosphere, with meaningful engagement evident throughout the day. One staff member said, “Care overall is good. It’s a home from home; the atmosphere is relaxed, so it helps us make residents feel relaxed and comfortable.” This reflected our observations of a welcoming environment where people appeared comfortable and at ease.

Staff demonstrated a compassionate and informed understanding of how to support people living with dementia. They described using reassurance, distraction and approaches tailored to each person’s life history, preferences and communication needs to reduce distress and promote emotional wellbeing.

People’s needs were comprehensively assessed before they moved into the service, enabling staff to plan their care and ensure the environment could meet their individual needs. Any risks associated with people’s care, health and wellbeing were identified, assessed and managed through clear, individualised plans that were regularly reviewed, helping to keep people safe while supporting their independence and quality of life. Effective handovers and daily flash meetings took place throughout the day, supporting staff to identify, share and respond promptly to any changes in people’s health, wellbeing or behaviour.

The environment had been thoughtfully adapted to support people living with advanced dementia. This included dementia-friendly décor and personalised reminiscence displays outside people’s rooms to aid recognition and orientation. The home kept birds, including budgerigars, which provided sensory stimulation, interest and opportunities for meaningful engagement. Staff also adapted activities in response to people’s abilities, interests and feedback. One staff member said, “We do very well. We ask residents what they want and check if entertainers are good or not. On the dementia floor, if anything is too complicated, we will change it. They like baking; we keep it simple.” This demonstrated a flexible and person-centred approach, helping people to participate in activities they enjoyed in ways which were accessible and meaningful to them. Together, these measures helped create a familiar, reassuring and enabling environment.

Staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities and were able to clearly describe how they would recognise, report and escalate concerns, including concerns involving colleagues or managers. Staff completed a programme of mandatory and service-specific training relevant to the needs of people using the service. Their knowledge and practical skills were regularly assessed through competency checks, enabling managers to identify and address any learning needs promptly and providing assurance that staff remained skilled, confident and able to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care. Staff were recruited safely, with appropriate pre-employment checks completed before they began work.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found staff and managers worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.

People were supported to receive their medicines safely, at the right time and in a way which reflected their individual needs and preferences. Staff had clear guidance for ‘when required’ (PRN) medicines, helping them to recognise when a person might benefit from these and to check that they had provided the intended comfort or relief. Controlled medicines were stored securely, administered appropriately and supported by accurate records and regular checks. Where a person was unable to understand the need for their medicine and received it covertly (hidden in food or drink), staff followed appropriate safeguards and took a careful, person-centred approach. Decisions were supported by recorded mental capacity assessments, best-interest processes and agreement with relevant healthcare professionals and representatives.

Regular audits, checks and reviews formed part of a well-established governance framework and enabled the registered manager to maintain robust oversight of the quality and safety of the service. Findings were analysed to identify emerging risks, themes and opportunities for improvement, with clear and timely actions taken to strengthen practice and outcomes for people. The registered manager had implemented additional thematic learning and enhanced oversight arrangements, ensuring lessons from incidents, audits and feedback were shared, translated into sustained improvements and monitored to confirm their effectiveness.

Senior leaders maintained strong visibility of the service, provided constructive challenge and appropriate support, and worked closely with the registered manager to drive a culture of accountability, continuous learning and high-quality care. Staff described an open culture in which they felt confident raising concerns and were assured these would be acted upon. One staff member said, “We can speak up if we are not happy with something, to the manager or in staff meetings. Things are always taken seriously and dealt with.” This demonstrated that leaders were approachable, listened to staff and responded appropriately to issues raised.

Managers and staff demonstrated a commitment to ensuring people were active partners in shaping and developing the quality of the service. The registered manager and their team fostered an open, inclusive and collaborative culture in which people’s views, preferences and experiences were actively sought, valued and used to inform service development.

The management team were visible, supportive and approachable, encouraging people, relatives, staff and volunteers to contribute ideas and participate in continuous learning and improvement. Strong links with the local community and a dedicated team of volunteers created meaningful opportunities for people to influence developments both within the service and in the wider community. For example, the well-established Aigburth community group enabled people to come together, share their views and take part in service and community development opportunities, including coffee mornings, gardening clubs, poetry groups and entertainment. These initiatives strengthened people’s sense of belonging, promoted social inclusion and ensured improvements reflected what mattered most to them.