Care home that left residents ‘starving’ out of special measures
The home was pushed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following four days of inspections
A Liverpool care home where elderly residents were reportedly left “starving” in bed has turned its fortunes around. Inspectors slammed Christopher Grange Residential Care in West Derby, in March as residents were left with “extremely long toenails” and were only showered once a month.
The home was pushed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following four days of inspections in October and November 2025. More than 50 people lived at the home at the time, some of who had dementia.
A follow-up inspection has now taken the service out of special measures with a new rating of good. It had been deemed inadequate last year.
Inspectors found people spoke positively about the activities available, the support they received and the opportunities to make choices about their daily lives. The service held regular reviews involving people, staff and healthcare professionals so risks could be managed relating to falls, nutrition, skin integrity, medicines and long-term health conditions.
It was said staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported any incidents and learned from them. Relatives were positive about recent management changes and felt communication had improved.
Andrew Peck, CQC deputy director of operations in the north-west, said: “Following our return to Christopher Grange, it was clear the home had made some real improvements since our last visit. Strong, visible leadership has been central to the changes we saw, which has made a genuine difference to the lives of people living there.
“Leaders have improved staffing levels which resulted in a much happier staff team who reported they now have more time to spend with people and provide person-centred care. One relative told us staff arranged healthcare support for their loved one and described the care as absolutely exceptional.
“Family members and loved ones told us the home environment felt more supportive and inclusive, with staff who were seen to be caring, attentive and engaged. People told us they felt safe, that their concerns were listened to, and that they could speak up when they needed to.
“People were able to choose where they spent their time within the home and staff supported them to maintain their interests and hobbies. The service held daily church services, and we observed people attending these and responding positively.
“Staff and leaders at Christopher Grange should be proud of the improvements they’ve achieved together for their residents. We’ve shared our findings with them and will continue to monitor the service to ensure these improvements to people’s care are embedded and sustained.”
The LDRS contacted Christopher Grange for comment on the new inspection and its findings.