Ashby Court Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 79 (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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by thoroughly assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

Before people moved into the home, comprehensive assessments were completed to gain a detailed understanding of their health needs, preferences, routines and desired outcomes. This helped ensure the service could meet people's needs effectively and supported smooth and well-planned admissions. Information gathered during the assessment process was used to develop personalised care plans and identify any specialist support required from the outset.

People and their relatives were actively involved in the assessment and decision-making process and were encouraged to share information about what was important to them. Relatives spoke positively about the thorough approach taken by staff before admission. One relative told us there were "lots of questions asked" during the assessment process, which gave them confidence that staff understood their family member's needs and preferences.

Relatives consistently told us they were kept informed about their loved one's health and wellbeing and were contacted promptly if there were any changes or concerns. This helped ensure they remained involved in planning and decision-making. One relative said, "They always let me know if anything changes." Another relative told us, “The manager got hold of me and suggested the dementia unit and that was the right place for [name]”. A further relative said, “[staff] bespoke their care to [name].”

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Care plans reflected guidance from health and social care professionals and were reviewed regularly to ensure they remained accurate and effective. Staff demonstrated an understanding of relevant best practice guidance, including recommendations from NICE and other professional standards, and people's care was delivered in line with these. This helped ensure people received safe, effective and person-centred care based on the best available evidence.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

Professionals spoke positively about the service's approach to partnership working. One health professional told us staff worked closely with them to identify people's needs and plan interventions, which helped improve people's wellbeing and experiences. This demonstrated a shared commitment to achieving positive outcomes for people through collaborative working. Staff consistently described strong teamwork across the service. They told us colleagues supported one another and worked together to enhance people's quality of life. One staff member said, “All of us are a team. I've never worked anywhere where we're all listened to and work so closely for a common goal.” Staff spoke positively about communication within the team and told us they felt valued and involved in discussions about people's care.

The provider worked collaboratively with a range of health and social care professionals to ensure people received coordinated and consistent care. Information was shared appropriately with external professionals to support effective assessment, care planning and care delivery. Records demonstrated agreed actions, recommendations and treatment plans were clearly documented and communicated, helping to ensure continuity and consistency of support.

Professionals spoke positively about the service's approach to partnership working. One health professional told us staff worked closely with them to identify people's needs and plan interventions, which helped improve people's wellbeing and experiences. This demonstrated a shared commitment to achieving positive outcomes for people through collaborative working.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People were supported to make choices about their food and drink in line with their preferences, dietary requirements and nutritional needs. A varied menu was available, and alternative options were offered where requested. Drinks and snacks were readily available throughout the day to promote hydration and wellbeing. Feedback about the quality of meals was generally positive.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's health needs and were able to recognise signs that someone may be unwell. This was particularly important for people who were unable to communicate pain or discomfort verbally. Staff described how they monitored changes in behaviour, mood and presentation, and looked for non-verbal signs of distress or illness so that appropriate action could be taken if a person's health deteriorated.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

Systems were in place to regularly review and monitor people's care and support, enabling staff to identify changes in needs and respond promptly. Care plans and support arrangements were updated as required to help ensure care remained personalised, effective and reflective of people's preferences and wellbeing. These processes supported continuous improvement and helped ensure people received care that met their evolving needs. Feedback from relatives demonstrated positive outcomes for people using the service.

Relatives described noticeable improvements in people’s health and wellbeing since moving to the home. One relative told us their loved one had previously experiences frequent urinary tract infections but had not suffered any since moving into the service. They attributed this to the consistent care, monitoring and support provided by staff. Another person made significant progress following a period of ill health and was supported to move from the nursing unit to the residential unit. This demonstrated how staff worked proactively with people and healthcare professionals to promote recovery, maximise independence and achieve positive outcomes.

We observed staff encouraging people to maintain their independence and supporting them to make choices that promoted their wellbeing. People were offered meaningful choices about their personal care and daily routines, including whether they preferred a wash, bath or shower, and were supported at times that reflected their individual preferences and lifestyle. Staff provided encouragement and support in a way that maximised people's independence while ensuring their needs were met. As a result people were supported to maintain control over their daily lives and achieve outcomes that were important to them.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Throughout our visit, we observed people being offered meaningful choices that reflected their individual needs, preferences and abilities. This included decisions about their daily routines, care and participation in activities. Staff took time to explain options in ways people could understand, enabling them to make informed decisions and maintain as much control as possible over their lives. This supported people's independence and ensured care was delivered in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA).

Where people were assessed as lacking capacity to make specific decisions, decision-specific Mental Capacity Act (MCA) assessments had been completed and appropriately recorded. When individuals were unable to make certain decisions independently, the provider involved those important to them, along with relevant professionals where appropriate, to ensure decisions were made in their best interests.

Where people chose to make decisions involving an element of risk, mental capacity assessments had been completed in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This helped to ensure risks were understood and reflected people's individual needs, preferences and choices.