Ashfield Care Home

Updated 12 July 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector, and 2 Experts by Experience who observed care and spoke to people during the inspection, and spoke to relatives for their feedback following the inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Ashfield Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Ashfield Care Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We interacted with 9 people living at the service. We spoke with a senior care worker, the deputy manager, the registered manager and a visiting healthcare professional. We observed interactions between people and staff, activities and mealtimes. We explored the premises while looking at aspects of health and safety and infection control.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people's care records and several medicines records. We looked at 6 staff files in relation to staff recruitment and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance, staff training, accidents and incidents, complaints, policies and procedures, health and safety, and meeting minutes were also reviewed.

Following our visit, we spoke with 4 relatives and a further 3 care workers.

Updated 12 July 2023

About the service

Ashfield Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 23 people. The service provides support to older people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 22 people using the service.

Ashfield Care Home accommodates people in one adapted building across 3 floors, accessible by a lift. The service had recently developed 3 one bedroom flats at the rear of the property which accommodates people of lower dependency. Residents had access to a communal lounge, dining area and garden.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received safe and effective care from a qualified and competent staff team. The service ensured people’s safety by ensuring risks to people were appropriately identified and managed. People were protected from abuse or risks of abuse as staff were trained in safeguarding and knew their responsibilities to raise concerns. Staff ensured people received their medicines safely. People were protected from the risk of infections as staff adhered to infection control measures.

Managers assessed people’s needs and made sure these were reflected in their care plans. The service served healthy meals to people and staff knew how to support each person with their eating and drinking needs. Staff also promoted people’s health and wellbeing by making sure they had appropriate access to healthcare services.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were caring, respected people’s differences and promoted their independence. Staff knew people well and delivered care according to people’s specific needs. People were encouraged to stay active as much as possible and engage among each other in activities organised by staff.

The leadership team was supportive and aware of their duties. Managers and staff had worked together to implement positive changes and address previously identified shortfalls. Systems were in place to manage complaints, capture people’s views and assess the quality of service.

People, their relatives and staff were overall satisfied with the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 23 May 2022) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on actions we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.