During an assessment under our new approach
Ash Lea House is a care home. There were 11 people using the service at the time of the assessment. This service supports people with learning disabilities.
We carried out this assessment between 5 and 14 August 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We were assured the service met the principles of ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ and people received safe, person-centred and outcomes focussed care and support.
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
The provider and registered manager promoted a positive learning culture where people felt able to raise concerns and share feedback. Incidents were thoroughly investigated, with lessons learned used to drive improvement and help keep people safe. Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to risk management and took appropriate action to reduce risks while promoting people’s independence. People were protected from harm, medicines were administered safely, and the environment was clean, well maintained and suitable to meet people’s needs. There were enough staff with the right skills, training and experience to provide safe and effective care.
Staff were committed to helping people achieve positive outcomes and shared many examples of how they supported people to achieve their goals. For example, one person who found visiting unfamiliar places difficult had been gradually supported at a pace that suited them, which increased their confidence and enabled them to reconnect with hobbies and interests they had previously enjoyed. Staff also supported people to plan holidays and short breaks, helping them access new opportunities, build relationships and enjoy meaningful experiences.
Staff demonstrated a good understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion and recognised the barriers people could face. They also understood the importance of seeking and respecting people’s consent, involving them in decisions about their care and support, and promoting choice and control wherever possible.
The provider ensured staff understood and worked in line with the organisation’s vision and values. Leaders were knowledgeable, experienced and maintained effective oversight of the service. Staff were encouraged to contribute ideas, reflect on their practice and provide feedback, creating an open and inclusive culture where they felt valued and involved in the ongoing development of the service. Staff consistently spoke positively about working at Ash Lea House, describing a supportive, family like atmosphere with strong teamwork and a shared commitment to providing high quality care.