Background to this inspection
Updated
8 December 2018
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 was a routine, comprehensive inspection. It took place on 30 October 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was completed by one inspector.
Before the inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service. The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what they do well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed notifications we had received. This is information about important events, which the service is legally required to send to us.
During the inspection, we met everyone and spoke with four people who lived in the home. Most people were unable to tell us about their experience of living at Ashley Lodge, so we spent time in each of the three homes, observing interactions between staff and people who used the service. Following the inspection, we spoke on the telephone with four relatives.
We spoke with the proprietor, the registered manager and seven staff that included maintenance, activity and care staff.
We read the care records for four people. We looked at medicine management records and records relating to the monitoring and management of the service. These included premises safety and maintenance records, staff recruitment, rotas, supervision and training records, policies and procedures, records of meetings and quality monitoring records.
We received feedback from three external health professionals who gave us their views on the service and how it was being managed. You can see what they told us in the main body of the report.
Updated
8 December 2018
Ashley Lodge is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided and both were looked at during this inspection.
Ashley Lodge is registered to provide care and support to 11 people with learning disabilities and autism in three ‘homes’ within Ashley Lodge: the house, the annexe and the bungalow. Ten people were living in the home at the time of our inspection, and one person was in the process of being assessed before they moved in.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
A registered manager was in post. 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 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.
At our last inspection on 31 March 2016, we rated the service overall as Good. The key questions Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive were rated Good. The key question Well-led was rated Requires Improvement. This was because quality assurance and risk management systems did not always show how checks were completed to ensure the service was meeting the requirements of the regulations.
At this inspection, on 30 October 2018, improvements had been made and the key question Well-led is now rated as Good. We found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of Good. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
Why the service continues to be rated as Good.
People were protected from harm and abuse. Staff had received training and understood their responsibilities regarding safeguarding people.
People’s medicines were safely managed and people received medicines when they needed them.
People were treated with kindness and respect. People’s privacy was respected and their independence promoted.
People’s care and support was delivered in a way that met their diverse needs and promoted equality.
Staff were aware of the importance of supporting people to make choices. They worked within the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005).
Safe recruitment procedures were completed. Sufficient staff were deployed to make sure people’s needs were met. Staff received supervision and training to enable them to meet people’s needs.
Quality monitoring systems and checks were completed to make sure shortfalls were promptly identified and improvements made.
The proprietor, registered manager and staff team worked well and in partnership with external health professionals to support care provision.