Updated 9 December 2023
Background to this inspection
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.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of 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. The Expert by Experience visited the service and made phone calls to relatives.
Service and service type
Ashlyn 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. Ashlyn Care Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
Manager
This provider is required to have a manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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 the service did not have a registered manager. The former registered manager had moved recently to one of the providers other services. There was a new manager who had already applied to CQC to become the registered manager.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service, including information from a monitoring phone call we carried out with the service in May 2023. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
The inspection
We spoke with 8 people who used the service and used observation to understand people’s experience of care. We met with 9 family members and 1 external professional who were visiting the service. We reviewed 8 people's care records and multiple medication administration records.
We spoke with the manager, the deputy manager, reception staff, 6 care staff, domestic and maintenance staff. We met with two provider representatives.
We looked at 3 staff files. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service and quality assurance arrangements.
After our visit we continued to seek clarification from the provider.