SafeAre people protected from abuse and avoidable harm?75%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdownAll 8 good
Infection prevention and controlGood
Involving people to manage risksGood
Learning cultureGood
Medicines optimisationGood
Safe and effective staffingGood
Safe environmentsGood
Safe systems, pathways and transitionsGood
SafeguardingGood
EffectiveDoes care achieve good outcomes and a good quality of life?75%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdownAll 6 good
Assessing needsGood
Consent to care and treatmentGood
Delivering evidence-based care and treatmentGood
How staff, teams and services work togetherGood
Monitoring and improving outcomesGood
Supporting people to live healthier livesGood
CaringAre staff kind, compassionate and respectful?75%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdownAll 5 good
Independence, choice and controlGood
Kindness, compassion and dignityGood
Responding to people's immediate needsGood
Treating people as individualsGood
Workforce wellbeing and enablementGood
ResponsiveAre services organised to meet people's needs?75%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdownAll 7 good
Care provision, integration and continuityGood
Equity in accessGood
Equity in experiences and outcomesGood
Listening to and involving peopleGood
Person-centred careGood
Planning for the futureGood
Providing InformationGood
Well-ledIs the home well managed, with a culture of high-quality care?75%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdownAll 7 good
Capable, compassionate and inclusive leadersGood
Freedom to speak upGood
Governance, management and sustainabilityGood
Learning, improvement and innovationGood
Partnerships and communitiesGood
Shared direction and cultureGood
Workforce equality, diversity and inclusionGood
Percentages are CQC scores from its newer way of assessing homes. ?
CQC scored 33 standards: 33 good. Use “See the breakdown” on each key question for its standards. ?
CQC hasn't inspected this home for more than 5 years. It re-inspects based on risk, so an old rating doesn't count against a home on this site, but it may not reflect the home today. ?
D & L Price runs Smithy Forge, a residential care home in Runcorn, Halton with room for 6 residents. CQC registers it to look after older people, people with a learning disability or autism and people with mental health needs. That is smaller than most homes in Halton, where the typical home has 29 beds.
In August 2026, CQC gave it Good overall, and Good for each of the five key questions too. It was also rated Good at the inspection before, in February 2018. That is more recent than most ratings in Halton, where the typical rating is about 5 years old. All 33 standards CQC scored were good.
None of the 6 nearest rated homes has a higher rating. D & L Price runs 2 care homes, and all 2 rated are Good or Outstanding. The kitchen has a food hygiene rating of 5 (very good), from March 2018. That is true of 75% of homes in Halton. 14 other homes in Halton share its tier, “Good”.
