Asprey Court Care Home Also known as Asprey Court

Asprey Court is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 86 people. The service provides support to people with nursing needs, mental health needs and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 83 people using the service. The home is purpose built and supports people over 4 floors.

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

Additional information was needed on some people's care plans in relation to risk management, and some environmental risks were also identified. Staff understood people's risks, and the provider took immediate action on the issues raised.

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff knew how to identify possible signs of abuse and how to escalate concerns. People received their medicines as prescribed. There were enough staff to support people safely and respond to their needs. Staff had been safely recruited. Where things went wrong action was taken to reduce the risk of reoccurrence and learn for the future.

People’s needs had been assessed and care plans contained details of their wishes and preferences. Staff knew people's needs and understood their likes and dislikes. Staff had received training and felt supported by the management team. People received enough to eat and drink. Dietary needs were known by staff ,so people could receive appropriate support. People’s health needs were managed with the support of external agencies.

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.

There were a variety of systems in place to monitor and assess the care provided. Where areas for action were identified during the inspection, the provider took immediate action. There was a positive culture and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

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 the service was Good (published on 31 January 2022).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part by notification of an incident following which a person using the service died. This incident is subject to further investigation by CQC as to whether any regulatory action should be taken. As a result, this inspection did not examine the circumstances of the incident.

Follow up

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

Asprey Court is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 81 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 86 people in one adapted building. The home was separated into four units. Two units accommodated people with complex nursing needs relating to their dementia, one unit provided nursing care for older people with dementia and the other unit for general nursing.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found People were supported by staff who had received training in how to recognise signs of abuse and what actions to taken in these circumstances. Staff supporting people were aware of the risks to them and how to manage those risks. The providers recruitment procedures had not been consistently followed. Areas of concern regarding medication management were identified during the inspection and responded to immediately. We were not completely assured regarding some areas of infection control management in the home. Accidents and incidents were acted on appropriately and analysed for any lessons to be learnt.

Staff had received training to provide with them the skills and confidence to meet people’s needs. Staff were aware of people’s dietary needs and preferences. People received a balanced diet and had access to drinks and snacks throughout the day.

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 obtained people’s consent prior to supporting them and treated people with dignity and respect. People were supported by staff who knew them well, knew what was important to them and how to support them safely and effectively.

People were supported to maintain good health. Staff worked alongside a variety of other healthcare professionals and agencies to ensure people’s healthcare needs were met.

People and their loved ones were involved in planning their care and attended regular reviews. Relatives were kept up to date with changes in their loved ones needs.

People were able to take part in a variety of activities both inside and outside the home. Efforts had been made to ensure people kept in touch with loved ones throughout the pandemic, through a variety of means. People’s opinions of the service were sought.

The registered manager and staff felt supported and were onboard with the vision for the service. Staff were complimentary of each other and the registered manager. People and relatives knew who the registered manager was, they described her as supportive and approachable. People had no hesitation in raising any concerns they may have and felt their voice would be heard.

There were a variety of audits in place to provide the registered manager with oversight of the service and drive improvement. Where areas for action were identified during the inspection, action was immediately taken and systems and processes reviewed.

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 12 July 2018).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due several safeguarding concerns and an increased recording of incidents by the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

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.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe sections of this full report.

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.

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

Asprey Court accommodates 86 people in one adapted building. At the time of the inspection, there were 36 people living at the home. The home was separated into four units although only three were currently used. One unit accommodated people with complex nursing needs relating to their dementia, the other two unit provided nursing care for older people with Dementia.

A manager was registered with us, however we had been made aware prior to the inspection that the registered manager had left. A new manager was in post and in the process of registering with us. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were supported by staff who knew how to report concerns and manage risks to keep them safe. Staff were safely recruited and there were enough staff available to support people. Medication was given in a safe way, and there were safe systems in place to prevent the spread of infection.

The provider utilised innovative technology and design to ensure that the décor of the service supported people’s needs; reducing the risks posed to people and promoting their independence. The design, layout and decoration of the service had considered how to meet people’s needs without the need for further clinical equipment; meaning that people could be supported within a ‘homely’ environment.

People received support by appropriately trained staff. Training provided to staff was individual to the needs of the people they supported. People were happy with the meals they were provided with and had access to healthcare services where required. People had their rights upheld in line with the Mental Capacity Act.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. People were treated with dignity and involved in their care. Where able, people were supported to maintain their independence. Advocacy services were available if needed.

There were systems in place to assess and review people’s needs to ensure their care needs were met. There were activities available for people that met their interests. Although complaints were acted upon, further work was required around the recording of complaints.

People spoke positively about the new manager and the support provided by her. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service, although further work was required around the level of detail held in records. People had been asked for their feedback on their experience of the service and the provider had a clear vision for the future of the service.