Ashburton House

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

We observed staff spending time with people. We saw staff communicating with people in the person's preferred way and engaging them in meaningful activities. People we spoke with, and our observations, confirmed that people were treated with dignity and respect at the service. One person we spoke with told us, “[It] sure is a great bunch of people, they’ll do anything for you.” A relative said, “The staff really care. Nothing phases them. If someone has an ‘accident’, they will discreetly help to clean up. There’s lots of interaction between the staff and residents and they are very friendly during meals.”

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People's initial and ongoing assessments explored their individual needs, family connections, hobbies, interests and what mattered to them. This information was reflected in people’s care plans and was regularly reviewed and updated where required. Staff had knowledge of people’s individual abilities which allowed them to provide care in a person-centred way, which we observed during our assessment visit.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the people they supported. They had a good knowledge of people’s abilities, their specific support needs, and how to provide care in a way that consistently reflected their risks, preferences and needs. This resulted in personalised care being delivered that promoted independence. People told us they felt they had choice and control, and staff supported them when requested or necessary. One person told us, “The staff are friendly and sociable. They spot when I need help. They are very fair indeed. I can do my own care, but I need help showering. They treat me well, no complaints.”

Visitors to the home were welcomed at any time. Private spaces were available for people and their visitors to spend time together.We observed a number of people’s relatives and friends attend the service on the day of our assessment visit.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Care plans were accessible and up to date. They contained important information to guide staff on how to support people. Staff knew people well and had a clear understanding of what was normal for them. This meant they were able to quickly recognise when someone needed support or when their needs had changed.

Health and social care professionals confirmed the service was responsive to people’s changing needs. One told us, “The registered manager knows his residents, and understands their needs.” Another comment was, “I communicate with the senior team to discuss any issues that arise and they always work alongside us to resolve any concerns.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff feedback was positive about the registered manager at the service and the direction of the service. Staff retention was positive, and staff told us they felt supported by the leadership team and that the whole team looked out for each other and offered each other support when needed.One staff member said, “I love working here, we are all a big family, and we all get on and work as a team and I enjoy going into work every day and it is lovely just putting a smile on peoples’ faces.”

There was a system for regular supervision. Staff felt confident to discuss any issues with the service manager. The most recent staff survey reflected the positive feedback we received.