Archived: Ashcott Lawns

Updated 18 January 2018

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 18 December 2017 and was unannounced. It was carried out by an adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection took place the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This asks the provider to give key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed this and other information we held about the service. This included previous inspection reports, statutory notifications (issues providers are legally required to notify us about) other enquiries from and about the provider and other key information we hold about the service.

At our last inspection of the service in December 2015 the service was rated as Good overall. Since that inspection no concerns have been identified and the service remains Good.

At the time of this inspection there were 10 people living in the home. During the inspection we met with nine people in their own rooms. We spoke with the registered manager, assistant manager, two members of staff and two relatives.

We observed lunch being served and saw how staff interacted with the people. We looked at a sample of records relating to the running of the home and to the care of individuals. These included the care records of six people who were staying at the home. We also looked at records relating to the management and administration of people’s medicines, health and safety and quality assurance.

Updated 18 January 2018

Ashcott Lawns is a care home for up to 17 older people. The registered manager and assistant manager offer a family run service that provides personal care in a pleasant rural village environment. The home is located in a traditional house and is arranged over two floors. In the past year the home environment had further improved with up-dated shower facilities and additional equipment. The service provides personalised care and supports people with a many different care requirements. At the time of the inspection there were 10 people living in the home.

At the last inspection in November 2015 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good :

People told us they were looked after very well at Ashcott Lawns. They said it was “a good place to be” and they “did very well” in the small, informal environment.

People told us they felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. They had no worries and were confident they could talk to staff if they had. They had confidence any concerns they had would be promptly addressed by the staff.

The provider had systems and processes in place to keep people safe and minimise the risk of abuse. Improvement was required to aspects of the staff recruitment practice.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to meet their needs in a relaxed manner.

The manager and staff were very pro-active in arranging for people to see health care professionals according to their individual needs. Staff noted changes in people’s health and requested GP visits when required.

People were supported by kind and caring staff. Some people had lived in the home for several years. One person said “Staff are excellent, superb. They do very well. Everything is grand.” A member of staff said “I would treat people here as I would like my grandparents treated. Treated respectfully, with their privacy respected at all times.”

People received care that was responsive to their needs and personalised to their wishes and preferences. People were able to make choices about all aspects of their day to day lives.

There were formal and informal quality assurance systems in place to monitor care and plan on-going improvements. There were audits and checks in place to monitor safety and quality of care.

The service was well run by the registered manager and assistant manager who had the skills and experience to run the home so people received high quality person-centred care. The manager led a team of staff who shared their commitment to high standards of care and clear vision of the type of home they hoped to create for people. “We want to ensure people are respected, have their dignity maintained at all times. We want a homely, friendly service where people make their own choices.”

Further information is in the detailed findings below.