Ashcroft Hollow Care Home

Updated 26 October 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 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 one inspector.

Service and service type

Ashcroft Hollow 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. Ashcroft Hollow 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.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

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. 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people who lived at the home and one relative. We spoke with seven members of staff including, the registered manager, the deputy manager, two nurses, a team leader, a care assistant and a cook. We reviewed several records including people’s care and medication records, audits, policies and procedures, staff files and staff training matrix. We also spoke with an external professional, who regularly worked with the home.

Updated 26 October 2022

About the service

Ashcroft Hollow Care Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 45 people. The service provides support to people aged 65 and over in one adapted building. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people using the service some of whom were living with dementia.

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

The provider had made improvements since our last inspection and people now had up to date risk assessments in place which were reflected of their current needs and were regularly reviewed. People were supported by staff who were trained to recognise and report on abuse. People were supported by enough staff who were safely recruited to work at the home. The provider had effective systems in place to safely manage people’s medicines and effective infection, prevention and control systems were in place. Lessons were learnt when things went wrong.

People’s needs and choices were assessed prior to and following their admission to ensure their needs and preferences could be met. People were supported by trained staff who were passionate about their roles. People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a healthy diet and they received consistent, effective and timely care. Adaptations were made to the home to meet people’s needs. 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.

People were well treated and supported to express their views and were involved in their care. People’s privacy, dignity and independence was respected and promoted. People complimented the staff team and the care they received.

People received personalised care which met their needs and preferences. The registered manager understood the accessible information standard. People were supported to follow their interests and maintain relationships which were important to them. People confirmed they knew how to raise any concerns or complaints. People’s end of life care wishes, and preferences were considered and documented in their care records.

The provider had updated their quality assurance processes in place to ensure they identified areas for improvement and actioned any concerns. People were supported by staff who shared a positive culture which was passionate about people receiving person-centred care. Staff were encouraged to be open and honest when things went wrong. People, their relatives and staff confirmed they had the opportunity to make suggestions and improvements to the care people received. The provider worked in partnership with others.

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 this service was requires improvement (published 26 October 2020) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

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.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ashcroft Hollow Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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