Archived: Ash Tree Lodge

People told us that they got on well with the staff and that they received good support. One person said 'The staff are good. They help me get up in the morning to go to my job or to the gym'. Most people we spoke with told us they were involved in a number of activities such as attending college, having voluntary work or having paid work. Some people commented that they felt they had less to do during holiday periods from college and would become bored.

The provider had policies and procedures in place to deal with safeguarding incidents. They informed social services and the CQC of any safeguarding incidents they identified. Staff we spoke with displayed a good knowledge of what is safeguarding and how to report incidents.

We saw that the provider had sufficient numbers of staff to meet the needs of people. Staff received regular training and supervision, as well as having access to further skills and qualifications.

Support plans did not always contain accurate information. Some we looked at contained out of date information that had not been updated. Support plans were not always kept securely by the provider, in one location they were kept on shelves in the dining room.

We spoke to care workers about safeguarding issues. The care workers could describe different types of abuse and had a good knowledge of identifying possible signs of abuse. The care workers spoken to also had an understanding of how to report potential abuse both internally and also externally to social services and the police.

We saw that the provider gathers feedback from people who use the service and others acting on their behalf. People who use the service benefit from safe quality care, treatment and support due to effective decision making and the management of risks to their health, safety and welfare.