The Dales

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 3 March 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Assessment dates: 2 and 3 February 2026.

The Dales is a nursing home supporting adults over and under 65 years, including people living with dementia, mental health conditions and physical disabilities. Staff knew people well and provided warm, compassionate and person‑centred care. The environment remained calm, welcoming and homely, and people and relatives consistently described staff as attentive, caring and responsive.

People told us they had complete confidence in staff and felt genuinely valued and respected. Staff demonstrated creativity and emotional connection in the way they supported people, enabling positive experiences even when plans changed. We found strong evidence of staff taking time to understand what mattered to people, including their communication needs, past histories, preferred routines, interests and aspirations. This approach ensured people were consistently enabled to express themselves, maintain independence and remain involved in decisions about their care.

There was a positive culture where staff worked effectively as a team and with external professionals to ensure people’s health and wellbeing needs were fully met. Life‑enrichment activities were thoughtfully planned and highly personalised, contributing to meaningful and fulfilling daily experiences for people. Relatives spoke positively about the caring nature of staff and described consistently high levels of trust and engagement.

Leaders promoted an open, inclusive and learning‑focused culture. The registered manager was visible, approachable and valued, and staff felt supported, respected and empowered to deliver high‑quality, person‑centred care. Governance arrangements remained strong, with oversight processes ensuring safe, compassionate and consistent care. Overall, the service demonstrated a caring culture underpinned by compassion, dignity and respect, with strengthened evidence supporting high‑quality caring practice.