Ash Grove Care Home

Updated 22 June 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

Ash Grove Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Ash Grove Care Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time looking around the service and talking with people that lived there. We spoke with 7 people who lived at the service. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with 7 staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, chef, activities lead and 3 care staff. We spoke with 1 professional and 1 relative.

We looked at a range of documents including 5 care plans and associated documents relating to risk management. We looked at Medicine Administration Records (MAR), auditing and quality assurance processes and examined 4 staff personnel files. We looked at documents relating to accidents and incidents, training and safeguarding.

After the inspection new talked to a further 3 relatives and contacted 3 professionals who visit the service.

Updated 22 June 2023

About the service

Ash Grove Care Home is a residential care home providing regulated activities to up to 30 people. The service provides support to people living with dementia and a range of other health needs for example, diabetes, epilepsy and people needing support with mobility. At the time of our inspection there were 26 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People lived safely and were protected from the risk of harm and abuse. Risk assessments were in place relevant to people’s health and social care needs and people were supported by a staff team that knew them well. Staff had been recruited safely. People received their medicines from trained staff and administration was recorded appropriately and medicines stored safely. The service was clean with a team of domestic staff working 7 days each week. The registered manager shared learning with staff following accidents and incidents.

People and their loved ones met the registered manager for a thorough pre-assessment process before moving to the service. The registered manager ensured that the staff team had the right skills, training and experience to be able to manage people’s needs. People were supported to keep their health and social care appointments. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met by a team of kitchen staff who knew people’s dietary needs. The service had been adapted and designed to enable people to access all areas safely.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were treated with kindness and respect. People’s privacy was respected and dignity maintained. People were encouraged to be as independent as they could be with daily tasks and activities with staff being aware of the support sometimes needed to help people achieve their goals.

Care plans were written and presented in a person centred way concentrating on what people could achieve for themselves before then describing support needs. People’s communication needs were met with some needing support from staff who were aware of body language and individual signs and what they meant. Activities were available to people either in small groups or 1 to 1 every day. People and their loved ones were confident to raise complaints and told us they knew concerns raised would be addressed. People received positive end of life care by staff trained in this important area of care.

People spoke well of the registered manager who was described as being approachable, visible and supportive by people, relatives and staff. Monthly auditing of key systems and processes was carried out with any issues highlighted and acted on. Everyone had an opportunity to provide feedback about the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 21 March 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and the age of the last rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.