Ashley House - Langport

Updated 4 September 2024

Ashley House – Langport is a care home providing personal care for older people and those living with dementia. The home can accommodate a maximum of 25 people. At the time of the inspection there were 21 people living at the home. We carried out our onsite assessment on 10 September 2024 and 11 September 2024, off site activity started on 10 September 2024 and ended on 11 October 2024. This assessment was carried out to check if the service had made improvements following the breaches identified, at the last inspection (published 11 April 2023) in relation to staffing, and good governance. At this assessment we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations. Staff training had improved. Incidents and accidents were reviewed and there was a culture of learning at the service. Some areas of medicines management needed to be improved. Risk assessments identified risks to people and control measures were in place. Care plans were detailed and person centred. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs. Required recruitment documents were in place for care staff, there were some gaps in recruitment records for auxiliary staff. Regular checks of the environment and equipment took place. The home was clean and infection prevention control measures were in place. The service worked in partnership with health professionals to meet people’s needs. The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The provider had made improvements to the governance system. There was a person-centred culture in the service. Staff were supported by a registered manager who was passionate about delivering a good quality service to people. Staff felt supported by the registered manager. There were systems in place to receive feedback from people, their relatives and staff. Two statutory notifications had not been submitted as required.

Updated 4 September 2024

There was a positive culture within the service. People spoken with were very happy living at Ashley House, Langport. Comments from people included, “I love it here, staff are very helpful. I can't fault it and would recommend to others”, “I am very well looked after” and, “It’s good, I have no concerns at all.” During the site visit we saw kind and respectful interactions between people and staff. People were complimentary about the staff supporting them. Comments from people included, “Staff are really good here” and “Staff can’t do enough for you.” Staff felt confident to speak up and raise any concerns. People had their needs assessed and received care in accordance with their identified needs. People’s care plans and risk assessments gave staff guidance of people’s needs and preferred routines. People were happy with the support they received with their medicines. We found some areas of improvement were required to how staff managed people’s medicines in particular regarding the recording and administering prescribed creams. The registered manager had identified this prior to our assessment and was working with staff to make improvements. People told us there were sufficient staff to meet their needs. Comments from people included, “They come quickly when you ring the bell” and “I think there are enough staff, I have no concerns.” Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. People lived in a safe, clean and well-equipped environment that met their needs. Staff knew people well and were able to support them with appropriate care. People confirmed staff asked for their consent before care was provided. People’s healthcare and nutritional needs were met. Our observations of people’s dining experience were mixed, this improved on the second day of the assessment. There were systems in place to monitor the standard of care provided to people. People and their relatives and friends had opportunities to feedback their views about the service.