Ashwood - Ware

Updated 1 April 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe, and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 22 March 2021 by one inspector. The inspection was announced prior to us entering the service, so we could ensure that measures were in place to support an inspection and manage any infection control risks.

Updated 1 April 2021

This unannounced comprehensive inspection was carried out on 25 July 2018.

Ashwood - Ware 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. Ashwood - Ware is a purpose-built care home and is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up 64 older people some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 53 people were living at Ashwood - Ware.

The home is built on a single level with wide corridors connecting the bungalows together. There were three enclosed garden areas for people to access outside space freely.

During our last comprehensive inspection on 13 July 2017 we identified breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 relating to safeguarding, risk assessment and governance. We rated the service requires improvement. Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the five key questions to at least good. At this inspection we found that all the areas we previously found not meeting the required standards were improved. People received care which was safe and met their individual needs.

There was a manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 and relatives, we spoke with told us they felt safe at the home. People`s needs were met by staff who knew them well and provided care and support to people in a personalised way.

People and staff told us they felt it was enough staff at all times to meet people`s needs in an effective and timely way. People`s privacy and dignity was promoted.

Risks to people`s wellbeing were assessed and plans were in place with clear guidance for staff to know how to keep people safe.

Staff knew how to protect people from the risk of abuse and promptly reported to the registered manager if they had any concerns about people`s welfare.

People received their medicines safely from staff who were trained and had their competencies assessed in the workplace.

Staff told us they received sufficient training to help them understand their role and they received support from their managers to carry out their responsibilities well.

People 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 support this practice.

Care plans were developed and personalised to ensure that staff were able to deliver care and support according to peoples` preferences, likes and dislikes.

People were supported to pursue their hobbies and interests and they were encouraged to participate in social activities.

People told us they were happy with the quality of the food they received and that drinks and snacks were widely available throughout the day.

The register manager was known to people and relatives. They worked alternate weekends with the deputy manager to ensure management support was available to people and staff over Saturdays and Sundays.

The providers systems and processes were effectively used by the registered manager to identify areas where the service needed improvement and we found that actions resulting from audits were addressed in a timely way.