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Dolphinlee House Home for Older PeopleLancashire

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Rated:GoodResidential

Dolphinlee House Home for Older People

Patterdale Road, Ridge Estate, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 3LZ

0152437685

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

14 July 2023

Provider

Lancashire County Council

Beds

46 beds

How this home compares nearby

Of 32 care homes for older people within 5 miles, 1 is rated higher by CQC, 28 are the same and 3 are lower.

9 of these nearby homes have been inspected more recently than this one.

Based on CQC ratings, updated 22 October 2026. How we compare homes | See the nearby homes

Rating history

GoodApr 2016
GoodMay 2017
Requires ImprovementJun 2018
Requires ImprovementMar 2019
Requires ImprovementSept 2022
GoodAug 2023

Improved from Requires Improvement to Good in 2023. CQC has rated this home 6 times since 2016.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Lancashire County Council, which runs 23 care homes in England: 2 rated Outstanding, 17 Good and 4 Requires Improvement.

Average care home fees in the North West: £882 a week for residential care and £1,196 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

This home lists dementia care, which usually costs more than standard residential care. See dementia care home costs. NHS Continuing Healthcare may apply where someone's needs are primarily health needs.
How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About Dolphinlee House Home for Older People

Dolphinlee House Home for Older People is a residential care home in Lancashire, providing care for older people, including those living with dementia and physical disabilities. Details of the CQC's most recent findings are set out below.

This residential care home supports up to 46 people, with 25 residents at the time of inspection. The service accommodates older people and those living with dementia and physical disabilities across two floors, with separate communal and dining areas on each unit. People reported feeling safe at the home.

Improvements have been made since the last inspection in several key areas. Medicines are now being managed safely with people receiving prescribed medications as intended. Staff training has been strengthened, and the service has enhanced its identification of risks and oversight of quality and safety.

Source: CQC inspection report, 18 August 2023

Specialist Care

DementiaOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 46 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · LA1 3LZ

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Dementia; Physical disabilities.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Rating report published 18 August 2023. Latest inspection date recorded: 14 July 2023.

Safe: Good
Effective: Good
CaringPublished 29 March 2019: Good
ResponsivePublished 29 March 2019: Requires improvement
Well-led: Good

Questions prompted by these ratings

Responsive: How are care plans, activities and complaints adapted to each resident?

These are questions for your visit, not a claim about conditions today.

Read Dolphinlee House Home for Older People's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Dolphinlee House Home for Older People, consider asking...

1.What specific dementia training do staff receive and how recently?
2.How do you support a resident who becomes distressed or confused?
3.How does the home keep a record of a resident's life history and personal preferences?
4.How do you involve families as dementia progresses and communication becomes harder?
5.What happens when a resident's dementia reaches an advanced stage?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Dolphinlee House Home for Older People, look out for...

1.Is the environment calm, uncluttered and easy to navigate?
2.Do staff speak to residents with patience and dignity, even if they repeat themselves?
3.Are there memory cues around the home -- photos, familiar objects, clear signage?
4.Do residents seem settled and safe, or agitated and unsupervised?
5.Is there meaningful activity happening, or are residents just sitting quietly with nothing to do?

Could the NHS fund Dolphinlee House Home for Older People's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees