Background to this inspection
Updated
19 August 2015
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 8 July 2015 and was unannounced.
One inspector conducted the inspection.
Before our inspection we reviewed previous inspection reports and notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.
During our visit we spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, three care workers, a district nurse, three relatives and four people. We also pathway tracked four people using the service. This is when we follow a person’s experience through the service and get their views on the care they received. This allows us to capture information about a sample of people receiving care or treatment. We looked at staff duty rosters, four staff recruitment files, feedback questionnaires from relatives and the homes internal quality assurance audit which was dated May 2014.
We observed interaction throughout the day between people and care staff. Some of the people were unable to tell us about their experiences due to their complex needs. We used a short observational framework for inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experiences of people who are unable to talk with us.
We last inspected the home on 9 July 2014 where no concerns were identified.
Updated
19 August 2015
Ashlett Dale is a care home that provides care and support for up to 16 people some of whom may be living with dementia.
A registered manager was in place. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were not always treated with respect. Staff did not always consider people’s emotional wellbeing.
People were supported to take part in activities they had chosen. Records showed people’s hobbies and interests were documented and staff accurately described people’s preferred routines.
Staff were appropriately trained and skilled to deliver safe care. They all received a thorough induction before they started work and fully understood their responsibilities to report any concerns of possible abuse. Records showed staff received training in mental health, dementia and how to help people who display behaviours that may challenge others.
Information regarding diagnosed conditions was documented in people’s care plans and risks to health and wellbeing were discussed daily during staff meetings. Staff consistently told us they communicated risks associated with people health and behaviours frequently.
Referrals to health care professionals were made quickly when people became unwell. Each health care professional told us the staff were responsive to people’s changing health needs.
Care plans were reviewed regularly and people’s support was personalised and tailored to their individual needs.
The registered manager assessed and monitored the quality of care provided by involving people, relatives and professionals. Each person and every relative told us they were regularly asked for feedback and were encouraged to voice their opinions about the quality of care provided. Records showed care plans had been reviewed regularly and people’s support was personalised and tailored to their individual needs.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. These safeguards protect the rights of people using services by ensuring that if there are any restrictions to their freedom and liberty, these have been authorised by the local authority as being required to protect the person from harm. We observed people’s freedoms were not unlawfully restricted and staff were knowledgeable about when a DoLS application should be made.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.