Care Homes in Liverpool

Liverpool has 48 CQC registered care homes. 28 are rated Good, 2 Outstanding, 9 Requires improvement, 3 Inadequate, and 6 have not yet been rated. 27 of the 48 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

What residential care in Liverpool involves and what to look for

Residential care homes in Liverpool support older people and adults who can no longer manage safely at home, offering help with washing, dressing, meals, medication prompts and the everyday company that makes a house feel like a home. Unlike nursing homes, they do not have registered nurses on the payroll around the clock, so they suit people whose needs are more social and personal than clinical. Care Assura currently lists 45 residential care homes across the city, ranging from small converted houses to larger purpose built settings.

Reading the CQC picture across Liverpool

Of the 45 homes listed, 2 hold an Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission, 26 are rated Good, 10 are Requires Improvement, 3 are Inadequate and 4 have not yet been rated (usually because they are newer registrations). Mayfield Court and Minshull House are the two Outstanding services on the list, while the Good rated homes include Ash Court Care Home, Redford Court, Brooklands Care Home, Jasmine House, Sedgemoor Care Home, Garden Lodge Care Home, Croxteth Park Care Home and Tate Lodge, among others. Ratings are a useful starting point rather than the whole story, so read the most recent CQC report in full to see which key questions the inspectors highlighted.

What to weigh up on a visit

Walk in without an appointment where you can, and notice the small things: how staff speak to residents, whether call bells are answered promptly, how the lounge smells at teatime, and whether people look occupied or simply parked in front of a television. Ask to see the activities plan, sample menus and a blank copy of the care plan template. Location matters too, because relatives who can visit easily tend to visit more often, so a home in Woolton, Croxteth or Kensington may suit different families for different reasons.

Getting a care needs assessment and sorting the funding

Before choosing a home, most families arrange a care needs assessment through the council. This is a free conversation, usually held at home or in hospital, that maps out what support the person needs day to day and whether residential care is the right answer. You can request one through Liverpool City Council Adult Social Care, who are the statutory body responsible for assessing and arranging funded care for residents of the city.

How funding works

Once needs are agreed, a financial assessment looks at savings, income and property to work out what the council will contribute. In England, people with capital above £23,250 generally pay their own fees, those below £14,250 have their care paid for with a contribution from income, and people in between pay on a sliding scale. If the person owns a home and no qualifying relative still lives there, the property is usually counted after the first twelve weeks. Anyone with significant health needs should also be considered for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is funded by the NHS rather than the council.

Typical cost context

Residential fees in Liverpool tend to sit below the national average but vary widely between homes, so always ask for a written fee schedule that spells out what is and is not included. Hairdressing, chiropody, newspapers and outings are often charged as extras. If you are a self funder, you can still ask the council for advice on choosing a home, and it is worth checking whether the provider accepts local authority rates in case your capital reduces in future.

How long to allow

Where possible, start looking six to eight weeks before a move is likely, so there is time to visit two or three homes, read the CQC reports and let the person meet the manager. Hospital discharge situations move faster, and the council can help find an interim placement while a longer term choice is made.

Related searches

• Nursing Homes in Liverpool
• Home Care in Liverpool

Care Homes near Liverpool

• Bootle
• Wallasey
• Birkenhead
• Prenton
• Prescot
• Wirral
• St Helens
• Widnes