Ashdown Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained unchanged.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (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 treated people with kindness, compassion and respect and staff promoted people's privacy and dignity. Positive and caring relationships between staff and people were evident throughout the assessment. A person told us, “The carers are very kind” and fondly recalled each carer by name before adding, “[name] makes me laugh and that makes me happy”.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of dignity and compassionate care in practice and had completed relevant training to support this. Some staff members had been assigned as dignity champions, to further promote and embed these values across the service. A staff member told us, “They are just like us-whether they have mental or physical health issues and should be treated with respect and dignity.”

We observed staff interacting with people in a warm, kind and respectful manner, which helped people feel valued and at ease, reflecting the caring and compassionate culture within the service.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People shared their views about how they were consistently supported in ways that reflected their preferences and encouraged them to maintain their existing skills and abilities. A person told us, “Just look at the help I get, they do encourage me to do as much for myself as possible.” Another person told us their religious needs were respected and supported, reflecting the provider`s approach to treating people as individuals.

Where people`s needs were complex, staff adapted their approach to provide support in ways that were meaningful to them. We observed staff using appropriate humour and light-hearted interactions to reassure people and promote positive engagement, which helped people feel comfortable and relaxed. A person told us, “They are brilliant, I love them all and they make sure we have a good laugh and that’s important.”

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. For example, a relative told us, “Mum is still of sound mind, despite her age, so a lot is done or decided with her input first. So, we only get informed after.”

People were encouraged to maintain relationships and connections that were important to them which helped promote emotional wellbeing and reduce social isolation.

One relative told us,” We can visit any time. Mum has a mobile phone which she is able to use and if she forgets to charge it, the staff will help her.”

People had access to a range of activities and were supported to choose whether they wished to participate, including one to one engagement for people who remained in bed.

These approaches helped people to maintain their independence, exercise choice and retain control over their daily lives.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. We observed people were supported in a timely way and staff were regularly present in communal areas proactively checking on people.

People who chose to remain in their rooms had access to call bells and regular staff contact. A person told us, “I rarely use it because staff pop their heads round my door all the time.”

A relative told us, “Mum walks with a rollator. And when she walks to her bathroom, they’ve got a piece of equipment on the floor to let them know when she gets up at night, which is really helpful. And she can use the call bell and has never had any delays in staff responding.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff spoke positively about the support they received within their roles and described the team culture as caring, and supportive. A staff member told us, “There is lots of fun and laugher – there has to be as it can be quite a demanding job.” This was important because a positive and supportive culture helped promote staff well-being and contributed to a warm, relaxed and caring environment for people using the service.

Staff consistently told us they worked well together and felt valued by both colleagues and management. For example, during busy periods, the provider adapted or increased staffing levels, with the registered manager working alongside staff, where needed, to help ease workload and provide additional support. This helped staff feel supported and enabled to continue delivering safe care.

Staff also shared examples of being emotionally supported following the recent death of a person using the service. They told us the support and recognition they received helped them feel acknowledged and valued during a difficult time.