Ashbourne Lodge Rest Home

Updated 5 August 2022

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 Care Act 2014.

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 one inspector.

Service and service type

Ashbourne House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice. There was a prevalence of COVID-19 in the geographical area at the time of the inspection and we needed to ensure it was safe and there were sufficient management staff available to support the inspection.

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 commissioners who work with the service. We also looked at information we had received and held on our system about the service, this included notifications sent to us by the provider and information passed to us by members of the public.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who lived at Ashbourne Lodge, three members of staff, registered manager and provider. We observed staff interaction with people. In addition, we reviewed a range of records. These included care records of people, medication records, two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff training records. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service. We had a walk around the premises and looked at infection control measures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at their quality assurance systems and care records.

Updated 5 August 2022

About the service

Ashbourne Lodge is located in a residential setting in the South Shore area of Blackpool. The home is registered to accommodate up to 24 people who require assistance with personal care, over 2 floors. The property is set in its own grounds with garden areas to the front and rear of the building. There is a passenger lift for ease of access and the home is fully wheelchair accessible. At the time of the inspection 21 people lived at the home.

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

The building was clean and hygienic, and staff were seen to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). They had an infection prevention and control policy in place. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s care and support needs. Staff were employed following a thorough recruitment process. People’s safety was at the centre of care delivery. One person said, “Its a lovely home with plenty of staff around to make me feel confident and safe.” Risks were assessed and carefully monitored to ensure individuals safety. People received their medicines safely.

The management team had auditing systems to maintain ongoing oversight of the service and make improvements where necessary. Quality assurance processes ensured people were able to give their views of the service. Responses we looked at were positive. We found the management team acted upon suggestions or ideas that were made to ensure the service continued to develop and improve the lives of people.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 30/08/2018).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach.

Follow Up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.