Ashton Lodge Residential Home

Updated 25 January 2024

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

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. 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

Ashton Lodge 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. 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 on our first visit and announced on our second visit.

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 who work with the service.

During the inspection

We spoke with 10 people using the service and 1 relative. We spoke with the registered manager, assistant manager, deputy manager, 4 members of the care staff team, the activities co-ordinator, and 2 members of the housekeeping team.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people's care records and medication records, recruitment records, and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Following our site visit the provider continued to provide information, which included data to support quality assurance and staff training.

Updated 25 January 2024

About the service

Ashton Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 27 people. At the time of our inspection there were 20 people using the service.

The service provides support to younger and older people, some of whom are living with dementia, have mental health needs, or physical disabilities.

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

Although the provider had made improvements since our last inspection, work was still outstanding to ensure the safety of the people using the service. The provider had not always assessed risks in the environment or taken effective action to prevent and control the spread of health infections.

The provider’s governance and performance management systems remained unreliable in places and had failed to identify some safety issues at the premises. Lessons had not always been learnt.

Staff were kind and caring and got on well with the people using the service. There were enough suitable staff on duty to meet people’s needs. People were supported to receive their medicines safely.

The service had a welcoming atmosphere. Staff knew people well and the service’s activity co-ordinator involved people in group and individual activities. People’s cultural and language needs were met.

The way people were assessed prior to coming to the service had improved. This helped to ensure the service was suitable for all the people using it. Care plans had been updated and were more personalised.

The menu had improved, and the chef prepared a wide variety of dishes to meet people’s personal and cultural preferences. The dining room had been rearranged to make it more homely and give people the opportunity to socialise if they wished to.

There was improvement to some areas of the premises, to staff training, and to some of the provider’s audits. People and staff had a say in the running of the service and were consulted when changes were made.

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.

During and after our inspection, and in response to our findings, the provider acted to improve the safety of the premises and put new risk assessments in place where necessary.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 15 August 2023). At this inspection we found the provider remained in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

When we last inspected this service breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider was issued with a Warning Notice in relation to Regulation 17 (Good governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and given a specific date by which to be compliant with the law.

We undertook this focused inspection to follow up the Warning Notice and to review the key questions of safe, effective, and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

At this inspection we found the Warning Notice had been met, however the provider remained in breach of regulations.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection by selecting the ‘All inspection reports and timeline’ link for Ashton Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We have identified continued breaches in relation to safe care and governance. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.