Ascot Lodge Nursing Home

Updated 15 February 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 27 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 15 February 2022

About the service:

Ascot Lodge Nursing Home is a 50 bedded service providing nursing or personal care to older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 43 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service:

Since we last inspected the design and layout of the service had changed from four units to two units. The provider had a clear basis for change, which was to make social and living spaces bigger for people and to improve staff deployment. Whilst making changes to the environment we saw the provider had considered the needs of people living with dementia.

Staff were very caring. Everyone we spoke with was very complimentary about the staff. There was a strongly embedded culture within the service of treating people with dignity, respect, compassion and love.

Activities were available to keep people occupied both on a group and individual basis. Trips out were also organised in line with people’s preferences.

Medicines were being administered safely and people’s dietary and healthcare needs were met. Checks which promoted safer storage of medicines had improved since our last inspection in September 2016.

Staff were recruited safely and there were enough of them to keep people safe and to meet their care needs. Staff were receiving appropriate training which was good and relevant to their role. Staff said they felt supported by the manager. The provider had transitioned to a new supervision and appraisal system, which created new requirements for line managers to follow when they held formal discussions with their staff. We saw the new system had adversely impacted on the frequency staff received a formal supervision and appraisal. We were satisfied the provider had clear improvement plan in place to address this.

Care plans were up to date and detailed the care and support people wanted and needed. Risk assessments were in place and showed what action had been taken to mitigate any risks which had been identified. Appropriate referrals were being made to the safeguarding team when this had been necessary.

There was a complaints procedure available which enabled people to raise any concerns or complaints about the care or support they received.

The manager provided staff with leadership and was described as being very approachable. Audits and checks were carried out and used to drive continuous improvements to the service people received.

People’s feedback was used to make changes to the service, for example, to the menu’s and activities.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQQ website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection:

At the last inspection the service was rated as good (report published 4 October 2018).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection to check the service remained good.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.