Ashcroft Nursing Home

Updated 28 July 2023

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 service was inspected by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Ashcroft Nursing 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 Nursing Home is a care home with nursing care, although they had ceased to provide nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

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. 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 in person with 10 people who used the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 4 further relatives by telephone. We spoke with 7 members of staff, including the registered manager, care staff and ancillary staff. We carried out observations of care.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 2 care records in detail and a sample of several other care records to see how risks were recorded. We looked at multiple medication records.

Updated 28 July 2023

About the service

Ashcroft Nursing Home is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 40 people. At the time of our inspection there were 31 people using the service. The service provides support to people with a range of needs, including those living with dementia. The service no longer provided nursing care at the time of our inspection.

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

People received safe care because staff knew their individual risks and how to support them. Staffing levels had improved since the last inspection; there were enough staff available, so people did not have to wait for support. Staff training had been completed to enable staff to provide safe, person-centred care. People received safe support for medicines. The home had undergone refurbishment and there were improvements to décor, fixtures and fittings.

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 consulted and informed about their care.

Care staff were very kind and caring and they worked in person-centred ways so that each person was supported in ways they preferred. Care records were being developed to include more person-centred detail. We made a recommendation for the provider to consider how they can make care records more accessible to people, their families and all staff involved in people’s care and support. Activities and interaction with people had significantly improved and there were high levels of meaningful engagement. People’s relatives said they thought care was safe and there were good levels of trust for the staff and management team.

There had been significant improvement in the way staff, people and their relatives were involved and informed. Communication had improved throughout the service. Without exception, relatives’ feedback was highly positive and recognised the achievements and improvements since the last inspection. The service worked well with partners. Everyone felt they were able to feedback their views to the management team.

There were marked improvements in the leadership and management of the service. There was clearer oversight of the service delivery and the quality of care being provided. Systems and processes had been established to ensure more robust auditing and the registered manager was continuously considering ways to improve their processes to ensure quality checks were rigorous. We made a recommendation for the registered manager to consider ensuring further detail and clarity of recording where quality checks were made.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was inadequate (report published 23 September 2022) and breaches of regulation were identified.

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.

This service has been in Special Measures since 22 September 2022. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

The overall rating for the service has changed from inadequate to good based on the findings of this inspection.

Follow up

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