Updated 22 July 2021
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 Care Act 2014.
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 conducted by two inspectors, a member of the CQC medicines inspection team and a nurse specialist advisor. An Expert by Experience supported the inspection by making telephone calls to relatives to ask for their feedback.
An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
Ashwood Care Centre 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.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed all the information we held about the provider. This included records of contact we had with them since the last inspection, information from members of the public and statutory notifications the provider is required to tell us about significant events.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
We contacted representatives of the local authority quality monitoring team.
During the inspection
We spoke with people using the service throughout the day. Our discussions included more lengthy conversations with seven people and five relatives who were visiting the service on the day of the inspection. We also spoke with staff on duty who included, the registered manager, deputy manager, head of care, nurses, senior care assistants, care assistants, the chef, domestic staff and the activities coordinator.
We carried out observations of care and support. These included 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 looked at the whole care plans for eight people who used the service, and part of the care plans for a further five people. We looked at how medicines were being managed, the recruitment records for three members of staff and other records the provider used to manage the service. These included records of staff meetings, training, audits, complaints, accidents, incidents and safeguarding information.
After the inspection
We attempted to contact the relatives of 10 people who used the service on the telephone. We managed to speak with four.