Ashlands care home, Leeds rated inadequate by Care Quality Commission and placed in special measures

Published: 31 October 2016 Page last updated: 12 May 2022
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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told the providers of Ashlands care home, Leeds that they must make improvements to protect the safety and welfare of people living there.

CQC carried out its most recent inspection in July and August 2016. Inspectors found that the care being provided by the providers, Roche Healthcare Limited, was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, responsive or well led.

The report published by CQC can be found here.

At its last inspection, September 2015 CQC rated the service as overall 'Inadequate' and placed it in 'Special Measures'.

Although inspectors found some improvements had been made in respect of privacy and dignity, they found a number of continued breaches in safe care and treatment, staffing, person-centred care, meeting nutritional needs and good governance. Breaches were also found relating to premises and equipment.

Some of the findings from the latest inspection included:

CQC inspectors found medicines were not managed safely as they were not checked in to the home, stored and disposed of appropriately. People did not always receive their medicines on time and there were occasions when medicines were not given as prescribed.

Staff were uncertain how many people lived in the home and inspectors found different instructions for staff to follow in the event of a fire. The registered manager had not responded to an identified need for further staff training in fire safety. Personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) were in place, although staff were not aware they existed or where they could find them.

Debbie Westhead, Deputy Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care in the North, said:

"The care provided at Ashlands was of a very poor standard. Following an inspection in September 2015, the home was rated as Inadequate and placed in special measures. I had hoped to be able to report some improvement, what had improved was limited so to find continued breaches is unacceptable.

"The provider has a number of issues it must address. During the inspection we observed that staff had not received appropriate fire training and that staff were not aware of personal evacuation plans for residents. Clearly, in the event of fire this exposed people to risk.

"My inspectors found gaps in care plans which could lead to people's needs being missed or overlooked. Risk assessments were not always in place and staff did not take appropriate action to reduce risk as identified in risk assessments.

"People are entitled to services that deliver consistently good care and with an overall rating of Inadequate,  Ashlands care home, will continue  in special measures by CQC. This regime is designed to make sure there is a timely and coordinated response to inadequate care and we will use it alongside our enforcement policy.

"We have been working with Leeds City Council to ensure that people living at the home are not at undue risk. We will continue to monitor this care home. CQC will consider the appropriate regulatory response to resolve the problems found."

Ends

For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Manager David Fryer 07754 438 750.

Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here.

Please note: the press office is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters. For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.

About the Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve.

We monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and we publish what we find to help people choose care.