Dementia Care Home

EachStep Blackley

198 Charlestown Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 7ED

Nursing homes

At a Glance

The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.

DCC Family Score
74/ 100
Weighted from family reviews
Dementia SpecialismConfirmed

Nursing homes

Families Rate The Staff72 / 100

Staff warmth score

“Well Looked After”72%

of reviewers answered yes

Good to know

  • Registered beds60
  • SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Caring for adults under 65 yrs, Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairment
  • Last inspected2023-04-06

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The Evidence

What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.

Section 01

What families say

Families describe how the warm, attentive approach from staff helps reduce their worries about their loved one's daily care. The home's layout, with just twelve residents in each unit, means staff can really get to know everyone individually.

The eight family priority themes

  • Staff warmth72
  • Compassion & dignity74
  • Cleanliness72
  • Activities & engagement68
  • Food quality65
  • Healthcare72
  • Management & leadership76
  • Resident happiness72
Section 02

What inspectors found

Inspected 2023-04-06

  • Is this home safe?

    Good
    The Safe domain was rated Good at the February 2023 inspection, representing an improvement from the previous rating. This means inspectors were satisfied with safeguarding arrangements, medicines management, staffing levels, and infection control at the time of their visit. The published summary does not provide specific staffing numbers, agency usage figures, or detail on how falls or incidents are logged and acted upon. The home cares for people with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment, all of which carry specific safety considerations. The improvement from Requires Improvement suggests that earlier concerns in this area were identified and addressed.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the care effective?

    Good
    The Effective domain was rated Good at the February 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether staff have the training and knowledge to meet residents' needs, whether care plans are person-centred and regularly reviewed, and whether residents have adequate access to healthcare professionals. Dementia care is a listed specialism, which implies some level of dementia-specific training and care planning. No specific detail is provided in the published summary about training content, GP visit frequency, or how care plans are updated after a change in someone's condition. Medicines management is typically assessed under both Safe and Effective and was not flagged as a concern.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is this home caring?

    Good
    The Caring domain was rated Good at the February 2023 inspection. This is the domain that covers staff warmth, dignity, respect, and whether people are treated as individuals. A Good rating here means inspectors were satisfied that residents were not being rushed, that privacy was respected, and that staff showed genuine concern for the people in their care. The published summary does not include direct quotes from residents or relatives, and no specific observations of interactions are recorded. The home cares for people with dementia, which means non-verbal communication and knowing individual preferences are particularly important indicators of quality caring.
    Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded
  • Is the home responsive?

    Good
    The Responsive domain was rated Good at the February 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether the home tailors its care and activities to individual residents, whether people with dementia have meaningful engagement, and whether end-of-life wishes are documented and respected. The home is registered for dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment, which means responsive care must account for a wide range of communication needs and abilities. No specific detail about the activity programme, one-to-one engagement, or end-of-life care planning is provided in the published summary. Complaints handling is also assessed here and was not flagged as a concern.
    Verified by inspector
  • Is the home well-led?

    Good
    The Well-led domain was rated Good at the February 2023 inspection, having previously been rated Requires Improvement. This is significant because leadership quality is strongly linked to the overall trajectory of a home. Named leaders are in post: Michelle Claire Phillips is the registered manager and Shirley Ann Rowe is the nominated individual for the provider, Park Homes (UK) Limited. The improvement across all five domains from the previous inspection suggests that governance processes are now working and that concerns were acted upon. No specific detail about manager visibility, staff culture, or how feedback from residents and families is gathered and used is provided in the published summary.
    Verified by inspector
  • Source: CQC inspection report →

    Section 03

    What the evidence base says

    The home provides specialist support for people with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments, caring for adults both under and over 65. The dementia care here centres on purposeful design — dedicated spaces like the cinema and coffee shop help residents maintain familiar routines and social connections. The smaller unit sizes mean staff can provide more focused support as needs change. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.

The DCC Verdict

Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.

74/ 100

DCC Family Score

Eachstep Blackley achieved a Good rating across all five inspection domains after a previous Requires Improvement, which is an encouraging improvement. However, the published inspection report contains limited specific detail, so many scores reflect positive but general findings rather than rich direct observation.

Homes in North West typically score 68–82.

The three-lens summary

Lens 01

What families tell us

Families describe how the warm, attentive approach from staff helps reduce their worries about their loved one's daily care. The home's layout, with just twelve residents in each unit, means staff can really get to know everyone individually.

Lens 02

What inspectors have recorded

Healthcare professionals visiting the home have noted the consistent quality of care, while families talk about staff who are genuinely friendly in their daily interactions. This caring culture seems to run through the whole team, creating an atmosphere where residents feel looked after.

Lens 03

How it sits against good practice

For families facing tough decisions about dementia care, seeing these thoughtful touches in action can make all the difference.

DCC Recommendation

Worth a visit

Eachstep Blackley, at 198 Charlestown Road, Manchester, was rated Good at its inspection in February 2023, with that report published in April 2023. This is a meaningful improvement on the previous Requires Improvement rating. All five inspection domains, covering safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness, and leadership, were rated Good. Named management is in place, and the home specialises in dementia care, nursing, physical disabilities, and sensory impairment across its 60 beds. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection summary contains limited specific detail. There are no direct quotes from residents or relatives, no recorded observations of staff interactions, and no specific data on staffing ratios, food quality, or activities. The Good rating is a positive signal, but you should treat a visit as essential. Ask to see the staffing rota for last week, ask what activities happened yesterday, and walk the corridors at a time that is not a scheduled tour, so you can observe how staff interact with your parent's future neighbours day to day.

The three questions to ask when you visit

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In Their Own Words

How EachStep Blackley describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.

What EachStep Blackley says about itself

Purpose-built dementia care with thoughtful spaces that feel like living

Eachstep Blackley – Your Trusted nursing home

When families visit Eachstep Blackley in Manchester, they often find their loved ones in the coffee shop, watching a film in the cinema, or tending plants in the garden. This purpose-built home creates meaningful moments through carefully designed spaces that help people with dementia stay connected to everyday life.

Care & specialisms

Who they care for

    The home provides specialist support for people with dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments, caring for adults both under and over 65.

    How they describe their dementia care

    The dementia care here centres on purposeful design — dedicated spaces like the cinema and coffee shop help residents maintain familiar routines and social connections. The smaller unit sizes mean staff can provide more focused support as needs change.

    “For families facing tough decisions about dementia care, seeing these thoughtful touches in action can make all the difference.”

    DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.

    Free download – Dementia Stage 4

    Not sure if it's dementia or just ageing? Here's the checklist your GP will use.

    Twelve signs to observe. A simple scoring framework. A printable, one-page record you can take to your next GP appointment, so you go in with specifics, not anxiety.

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    Related:

    What Real Families Say About Dementia Care Homes: The Eight Things That Matter Most

    A Which? Report for Care Homes: Real Family Reviews, Not Just Official Inspections

    Step-by-Step Guide to Finding a Care Home for Your Mum in the UK

    What Does 'Dementia Specialist' Actually Mean? How to Tell If a Care Home Really Is One

    Best UK Website for Comparing Dementia Care Homes (Beyond CQC Ratings)

    Dementia care gifts that help

    The Thoughtful Gift That Makes a Difficult Day Easier

    The things that make the greatest difference to someone living with dementia are rarely the most obvious ones. They are the things that ease the day — that give a carer a moment to breathe, or give the person they care for a moment of calm or quiet joy. Every item here was chosen because it works, and because it reduces stress for everyone in the room.

    Comforting Memories

    Britain 1940 to 1970: Memory Lane

    Card Game

    The Card Game That Turns Familiar Phrases Into Open Doors

    Memory Box

    The Box That Holds a Life

    Digital Photoframe

    The Frame That Brings the Family Into the Room

    Digital Calendar

    The Clock That Knows What Day It Is

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