Archived: Ashdown Residential Home

Updated 27 April 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 comprehensive inspection took place on 27 March 2018 and was unannounced. One adult social care inspector carried out this inspection. Prior to the inspection, we reviewed the information we had about the service, including notifications of events the service is required by law to send us.

Most people who lived in Ashdown were able to talk to us about their experience and we therefore spent time speaking with everyone who lived in the home. We did not conduct a SOFI during this inspection for those who were unable to talk to us because people were in and out going about their daily lives. SOFI (Short Observational Framework for Inspection) is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who are unable to talk to us. We did, however, use the principles of SOFI when conducting observations around the home.

We looked around the home, spent time with people in the lounge, the dining room, the patio area and looked at people’s rooms with their permission. We observed how staff interacted with people throughout the inspection and spent time with people over the breakfast, lunchtime and evening meal periods. We spent time speaking with seven people who were able to share some of their experiences with us and spent time observing all the other people who lived in the home being supported by staff. We spoke with one relative, three members of staff and the registered manager. We also received feedback from one external healthcare professional.

We looked at the ways in which medicines were recorded, stored and administered to people. We also looked at the way in which meals were prepared and served. We reviewed in detail the care provided to four people, looking at their files and other records. We reviewed the recruitment files for three staff members and other records relating to the operation of the service, such as risk assessments, complaints, accidents and incidents, policies and procedures.

Updated 27 April 2018

This unannounced comprehensive inspection took place on 27 March 2018 and was carried out by one adult social care inspector. We last inspected this home on 31 March 2016 when it was rated as ‘Good’ overall and in every key question.

Ashdown Residential Home, referred to in this report as Ashdown, is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Ashdown is registered to accommodate up to 12 people with learning disabilities, mental health and complex needs in one adapted building. Nursing care is not provided by staff at Ashdown. This is provided by the community nursing service. At the time of this inspection in March 2018 there were 11 people living in the home.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered 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.’

At our last inspection in March 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection in March 2018 we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Although the care service had been developed and designed prior to Building the Right Support and Registering the Right Support guidance being published, it followed these values and principles. These values related to people with learning disabilities using the service living as ordinary a life as any citizen. They achieved this by promoting enablement, independence, choice and inclusion. They demonstrated how they delivered person-centred care and how they ensured people had easy access and include to the local community.

At the time of our inspection in March 2018 people living in Ashdown were living with learning disabilities along with varying physical and mental health needs. People’s level of need was varied, with some people being able to leave the home independently and others requiring support to do so.

Staff treated people with kindness and respect. The atmosphere at the home was jovial with people clearly enjoying each other’s presence. Staff knew people’s preferences and communicated with people using their preferred methods of communication. We found staff had caring attitudes towards people and spoke highly of them, their personalities and qualities.

People spoke highly of the care and support they received at Ashdown. Comments from people included “I’ve never had it so good”, “I couldn’t get better help anywhere else” and “I’m one of the lucky ones to be here.”

Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and put it into practice. Where people had been unable to make a particular decision at a particular time, their capacity had been assessed and best interests decisions had taken place and had been recorded. Where people were being deprived of their liberty for their own safety the registered manager had made Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) applications to the local authority.

People who lived in Ashdown were protected from risks relating to possible abuse, to their needs and their health conditions. Staff knew how to recognise possible signs of abuse. Staff had assessed individual risks to people and had taken action to minimise these. Where accidents and incidents had taken place, these had been reviewed and action had been taken to reduce the risks of reoccurrence. Staff supported people to take their medicines safely and staff knowledge relating to the administration of medicines were regularly checked. Staff told us they felt comfortable raising concerns.

Recruitment procedures were in place to help ensure only people of good character were employed by the home. Staff underwent Disclosure and Barring Service (police record) checks before they started work. Staffing numbers at the home were sufficient to meet people’s needs. Staff had the competencies and information they required in order to meet people’s needs. Staff received sufficient training as well as regular supervision and appraisal.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink in ways that met their needs and preferences. People were supported to make choices about what they wanted to eat and encouraged to help prepare meals where they were able.

There was open and effective management at Ashdown. People, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals were asked for their feedback and suggestions in order to improve the service. There were effective systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the care and support being delivered.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.