Ashton

Updated 3 March 2020

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.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Ashton 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

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who use the service. We spoke with the registered manager and two support staff. We also spoke with the provider's nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed a range of records which included three people’s care records and medicines records. We looked at staff training and supervision logs and one staff recruitment file for the only member of staff employed since our last inspection. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We received feedback from two relatives of people living at the service and all five staff. We sought feedback from seven health and social care professionals who work with the service, but received no response by the time of writing this report.

Updated 3 March 2020

About the service

Ashton is a care home providing personal care to up to three people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of the inspection there were three people living at the service.

The service has been developed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence.

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

People received care and support from staff who knew them well and were well trained. We have made a recommendation that the provider review their training provision against the latest best practice guidance.

People received effective health care and support. People's rights to make their own decisions were protected. They were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were protected from the risks of abuse and said they felt safe with the staff providing their support and care. Risks to people’s personal safety had been assessed and plans were in place to minimise those risks. Staff recruitment and staffing levels supported people to stay safe while working towards their goals and going about their lives. Medicines were handled correctly and safely.

People were treated with care and kindness. They were consulted about their care and support and could change how things were done if they wanted to. People were treated with respect and their dignity was upheld. This was confirmed by people and relatives who provided feedback. People's diverse needs were identified and met and their right to confidentiality was protected.

The outcomes for people using the service who had a learning disability and/or autism reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support. The service and staff strongly promoted choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support was person centred and focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. The ethos and values of the service were designed, and were successful, in making sure people were supported to live a full and meaningful life. People were able to enjoy a number of activities, based on their likes and preferences. Staff continually looked for ways to improve and enhance people's lives by exploring new activities and employment they could participate in.

People benefitted from staff who were happy in their work and felt well managed and supported. The service had an open and inclusive culture and encouraged suggestions and ideas for improvement from people who use the service, their relatives and staff. The quality assurance systems were successful in ensuring the quality of the service was maintained.

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 10 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.