Archived: 95 Ashburnham Road

95 Ashburnham Road provides accommodation and personal care for up to four adults who require support with their mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were four people using the service.

The service had a registered manager 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 in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were safeguarded from risk of harm and had detailed risk assessments and care plans in place which were reflective of their individual needs. People had opportunities to provide feedback and contribute to their care and support, and the service promoted a culture of inclusion and person-centred working. People were supported to pursue a range of interests and hobbies and had their healthcare needs routinely assessed and met. People had enough to eat and drink and were provided with a varied diet that took into account their choices and preferences. Outcomes for people were clearly identified to empower them to develop and maintain their skills and independence.

Staff had received training that was relevant to their role and understood the principles of safeguarding, consent and mental capacity. The manager regularly supervised staff and supported them to develop through performance reviews and team meetings. Staff were caring and compassionate and understood the needs of people using the service.

The registered manager promoted a culture that was positive and open, and was visible in the service. They undertook regular quality audits which identified areas for improvement, and there was an appropriate system in place for receiving handling complaints. Medicines were stored and administered safely and risks in relation to the environment were regularly assessed and monitored. Staff were recruited safely to work in the service and record keeping was detailed and robust.

People told us that they received their medicines at the appropriate time. One person said, 'The staff look after my medicines. They make sure I take my tablets and encourage me not to drink excessively.' Another person said, 'I sometimes can't remember if staff have given me my tablets, therefore, I made an agreement with the staff to sign the record to say I have had them.'

People described staff as, 'respectful and kind.' People said they were aware of how to make a complaint; however, they had never had the need to make one.

We found the service had suitable arrangements in place to gain and review consent from people who used the service and acted on them. People had their medicines administered safely and appropriately from staff qualified to do so. People were looked after by staff who were appropriately qualified and fit to do their job. The service had systems in place to ensure people's comments or complaints were carefully considered and responded to appropriately.

We observed that people were offered support at a level which encouraged independence and assured that their individual needs were met. The staff were friendly and professional in their approach and interacted confidently with people.

There was a relaxed atmosphere in the home, and everyone had a responsibility to contribute to the household chores to ensure the environment was clean, tidy and comfortable.

We noted that people expressed their views and were involved in planning their care and making decisions about their support and treatment. People told us that they worked closely with their 'link worker' and were consulted about all aspects of life in this home. Within the care files we saw that care documentation was all clearly signed by the individual to confirm their involvement and agreement with their particular care needs.

People that we spoke with told us that meetings were held in the home every two to three weeks, and this gave them the opportunity to share their views and make suggestions to improve the care and support they received.