Ashcroft Unit

We found the unit was clean, well maintained and was spacious and airy. The generous size of the unit enabled there to be plenty of room for people. This meant the challenging behaviour displayed at times by some people did not impact so directly on others as people had lots of personal space.

The unit was divided into male and female wards. Most of the men had limited mobility and limited verbal communication. The women were more mobile and more able to vocalise their wishes. Staff were attentive to people's needs and showed a good understanding of people's backgrounds and needs. Staff were calm and patient in the face of verbal abuse from two people during our visit. Staff were able to distract people or return to them at different times when they became more receptive to assistance.

Staff were positive about their job and told us they were in 'a good team.' Relatives told us they were made 'welcome' that people were 'looked after' and the unit was 'clean.'

Patients who were able to talk to us told us they felt well looked after. One person told us "The staff are good." One person indicated their well being with a smile and a 'thumbs up'.