The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Ash House

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

55 Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill, Coventry, CV4 9UX

Provided and run by:
Lifeways Community Care Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of assessment 17 April and 26 April 2024. Ash House is a residential care home providing accommodation for persons who require personal care and have a diagnosis of a learning disability and/or autism. We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements. This assessment was brought forward due to information of concern about the management of risks related to people's health, safeguarding and good governance. This assessment only examined those risks and assessed 11 quality statements which included the provider's learning culture, safeguarding, involving people to manage risk, safe and effective staffing, medicines optimisation, person centred care, shared direction and culture, capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders, governance and assurance, partnerships and communities and learning, improvement and innovation. We will assess the other quality statements in future assessments. We found 2 breaches of the regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance. Risks related to people’s care were not always managed well. Accidents and incidents were not managed effectively. The provider's systems and processes had failed to identify, manage and mitigate some areas of risk. Audits and checks were not always effective in ensuring continuous improvement. There had been a period of instability of leadership within the home and at the time of our assessment. In instances where CQC have decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information after any representations and/ or appeals have been concluded. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

18 February 2020

During a routine inspection

About the service

Ash House is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation for younger people with learning disabilities. The service was a large domestic style property registered to support up to six people. Four people were using the service during our visit.

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

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures 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.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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.

Relatives felt their family members were safe living at Ash House and procedures were in place to protect people from harm. Risks associated with people's care and support were assessed and staff knew how to manage risks to keep people safe.

Staff were recruited safely, and enough staff were on duty to meet people's needs in a timely way. Recruiting new staff was one of the registered managers main priorities.

The management of people’s medicines was safe, and people received their medicines when they needed them. People had access to health professionals when needed and the staff team worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure people received the care they needed to remain well.

People received responsive and personalised care from staff who knew them well. Staff cared about people and interactions between people and staff were positive. The culture of the home was friendly and inclusive and people-maintained relationships that were important to them. People took a part in a range of social activities in line with their wishes.

People's needs had been assessed before they moved into the home and their care records contained detailed information which helped staff to provide personalised care. Regular reviews of people's care took place and relatives felt included in making decisions when appropriate.

Relatives had confidence in the ability of staff to provide effective care. Staff spoke positively about the ongoing training they received, and they had the knowledge and skills to meet people's needs.

People were encouraged to eat nutritionally balanced meals to maintain their health. Where possible people were involved in weekly menu planning.

People and relatives knew how to raise complaints any complaints received were investigated in line with the provider's procedure. The staff team demonstrated commitment to learning lessons where things went wrong to improve outcomes for people.

The environment was clean and tidy during our visit and met people’s needs. People’s bedrooms were personalised. A variety of communal areas and a large rear garden offered people choices of where to spend their time.

People knew the registered manager. Staff felt supported and told us the service was well led. Feedback from people and their relatives was welcomed and listened to. Effective quality assurance processes were embedded and completed audits and checks demonstrated good governance.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 20/02/2019 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.