Ashton Grange Residential Home

Updated 2 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 13 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service notice on the day of the inspection.

Updated 2 February 2022

This inspection took place on 27 March and 4 April 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the staff and provider did not know we would be visiting.

Ashton Grange Residential Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Ashton Grange Residential Home accommodates 39 older people in one purpose built building. On the day of our inspection there were 37 people using the service. Some of the people were living with dementia.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Like 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.

We last inspected the service in March 2016 and rated the service as ‘Good.’ At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and met all the fundamental standards we inspected against. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place. The registered manager understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration and storage of medicines.

The home was clean, spacious and suitable for the people who used the service, and appropriate health and safety checks had been carried out.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people who used the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when they employed staff. Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Care records contained evidence of people being supported during visits to and from external health care specialists. People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs.

People who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care at Ashton Grange Residential Home.

Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible. Support plans were in place that recorded people’s plans and wishes for their end of life care.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and support plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred means ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support plans and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account.

People were protected from social isolation and the service had good links with the local community. People had individual activity plans in place, which ensured activities were person-centred.

The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place and people who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint.

The registered manager continually strived to develop their knowledge and skills, and shared this learning with staff to ensure continuous improvement across the staff team. Staff said they felt supported by the registered manager.

The provider had an effective quality assurance process in place. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service via meetings and surveys.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.