Archived: Ashlea Care Home

Updated 31 March 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 15 and 17 October 2014. It was an announced inspection. Short notice of the inspection was given because it was a small service and we needed to be assured that people would be in the home when we visited. One inspector carried out the inspection.

Prior to our inspection we reviewed information we held about the service. This included previous inspection reports, information received and statutory notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form which asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what it does well and what improvements they plan to make.

During the visit we spoke with three people who lived at the service and one person’s relative, three members of care staff, the registered manager and the deputy manager. We observed the care and support provided to people in communal areas. We looked at the care records of two people who used the service, two staff files, as well as a range of records relating to the running of the service which included audits carried out by the registered manager and the provider.

Updated 31 March 2015

We performed the announced inspection on 15 and 17 October 2014. Ashlea Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight people with a learning disability. On the day of our inspection six people were using the service.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons.’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

When we last inspected the service on 23 April 2013 we found the provider was meeting all of the outcome areas we inspected.

People felt safe in the service and the manager knew to share information with the local authority when needed. Staff knew how to respond to incidents and what incidents needed to be reported. This meant there were systems in place to protect people from the risk of abuse.

People received their medication as prescribed and the management of medication was safe.

Staffing levels were maintained at appropriate levels to support people’s needs.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. The DoLS is part of the MCA, which is in place to protect people who lack capacity to make certain decisions because of illness or disability. DOLS protects the rights of people by ensuring that if there are restrictions on their freedom these are assessed by professionals who are trained to decide if the restriction is needed. We found this legislation was being used correctly to protect people who were not able to make their own decisions about the care they received. We also found staff were aware of the principles within the MCA and had not deprived people of liberty without applying for the required authorisation.

People could see health care professionals such as their General Practitioners (GP) when their health needs changed. People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and specialist diets could be provided when required to meet people’s health needs and cultural diversity.

People were encouraged to contribute to the development of care plans and the plans provided staff with up to date information to help them deliver appropriate care. People were treated with respect and dignity and we saw staff were proactive in promoting people’s decisions and choices.

People were supported to follow their hobbies and interests and to access the community. People felt they could raise concerns if they wished to and these would be acted on.

People were encouraged to be involved in the development of the service and audits were carried out to assess the quality of the service.