Archived: Ashlee Residential Care Home

Updated 19 January 2016

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 December 2015 and was unannounced. Our inspection team consisted of two inspectors, a specialist advisor and one expert by experience. A specialist advisor is a person who has professional experience in a particular area of work. This specialist advisor was a registered mental health nurse who had experience of working with older adults and people living with dementia. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. Their area of expertise was with people who lived in residential care.

We looked at the information we held about the service, including notifications the provider had sent us about significant events at the home. We also had a provider information return (PIR) sent to us. A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service. This includes what the service does well, and any improvements they are planning to make. We also received feedback from the local commissioners.

We spoke with twelve people who used the service, and two relatives. We also spoke with a visiting health care professional, four members of the care staff, the cook, and the manager. We did this to gain their views about the care and support people received and to check that the standards were being met. We also observed the care people received in the communal areas of the home so we could understand people's experience of living there.

We looked at six care records to see if they were accurate and up to date. We also looked at records that related to the management of the service including quality checks.

Updated 19 January 2016

We inspected this service on 15 December 2015. This was an unannounced inspection. Ashlee residential care home provides care for up to 21 older people, some of whom were living with dementia. When we visited, 21 people were living at the service.

The home had a manager in place who was in the process of registering with us. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Our last inspection took place in August 2014 and at that time we found that there were three breaches to the regulations.

The provider sent us an action plan in April 2015 stating what actions they were putting in place to ensure these standards would be met in the future. We were told how they would make improvements in how people’s medicines were managed; how they would ensure sufficient staff were in place to meet needs and keep people safe; and how they would plan care to meet individual’s needs. During this inspection, we found that the provider had made improvements in all these areas.

We found that people were supported in a way that protected their welfare and they told us they felt safe. People’s medicines were kept and administered in a safe manner and staff showed they had a good understanding about medicines. There was sufficient staff available to meet people’s needs. Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of safeguarding people and understood what constituted abuse or poor practice. The staff knew how to report or respond if they had any concerns.

People were supported in the way that they chose and staff knew each person well and understood their support needs. They were supported to make choices and decisions. When they were not able to, decisions were made in their best interests involving people who were important to them. Where restrictions had been placed upon people these had been assessed, and applications made to ensure any restrictions were lawful.

We found that people were supported to eat and drink to maintain a balanced diet. Specialist diets were catered for and people were given choices and encouraged to be independent. People received support from health care professionals when needed and staff enabled people to attend appointments.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Their dignity and privacy was respected and they were supported to express views about their care. They received care that was individual to them and responsive to their needs. Staff were aware of people’s changing needs and individual’s preferences. People were given choices about the activities they wanted to participate in. People and their relatives knew how to raise any concerns or complaints. Issues were dealt with in a timely manner.

Staff felt supported by the manager and provider. They told us they were approachable and responsive. Staff received a range of training to develop their skills and they showed how they put this knowledge into practice. Systems were in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service and they were keen to continue to make improvements.