Background to this inspection
Updated
23 October 2019
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.
Inspection team
Two inspectors carried out the site visit, one inspector made phone calls to staff and two Experts by Experience made phone calls to people using the service and relatives. 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
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats and specialist housing.
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
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a domiciliary care agency and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 20 people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with ten members of staff including the registered manager, office-based staff, senior care workers and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included ten people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at ten staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at quality assurance records which were sent to us after the inspection.
Updated
23 October 2019
About the service
Ashlong House is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 203 adults at the time of the inspection. People lived in properties across East and West Sussex, Suffolk, Surrey, Brighton and Hove, Kent, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Devon. The staff worked out of “hubs” to ensure they were in close proximity to the people they support. The service focused on supporting people whose primary needs were mental health related.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People received care and support from staff who were kind and treated them with respect. Staff knew about different types of abuse and how to keep people safe. Staff received refresher training and specific training to meet the diverse needs of the people using the service. New members of staff were subject to pre-employment checks to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people.
We looked at how the management team planned their rotas. Rotas were organised around a set geographical area. This ensured that people received their allocated and appropriate support from staff that were trained and best suited to their needs.
Risks associated with people’s individual care needs were assessed and plans put in place to manage these. People had been involved with the design of these care plans.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
There was a complaints procedure that was made available to people and their families. The management had good oversight of the service through monitoring and auditing to ensure people received effective support. These included regular phone calls and home visits to seek people’s views about the service provided.
At the time of inspection there was a registered manager application being put forward for the Office that covered Devon, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. This would enable more support for staff and the people using the service as the service grew.
The service worked in partnership with outside agencies, health and social care professionals to ensure people received timely healthcare support.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 28 February 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.