This inspection took place on 5 April 2016 and was unannounced. This meant the staff and the provider did not know we would be visiting. The home had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was not present during our visit however the deputy manager was present and was acting as manager at the time of the inspection.
Dr. Ashdown’s Stockton Lodge was last inspected by CQC on 7 April 2014 and was compliant with the regulations in force at the time.
Dr Ashdown's Stockton Lodge provides care for 39 older people. The home is located in the centre of Seaham close to all the towns’ amenities and transport links. On the day of our inspection there were 25 people using the service. The home comprised of 39 bedrooms, 19 of which were en-suite, set over three floors. The home was set in its own grounds and facilities included several lounges, dining rooms, communal bathrooms and toilets.
People who used the service and their relatives were complimentary about the standard of care at Dr Ashdown's Stockton Lodge. Without exception, everyone we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they were receiving and described staff as very kind, respectful and caring.
There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people using the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when they employed staff. Training records were up to date and staff received supervisions and appraisals.
There were appropriate security measures in place to ensure the safety of the people who used the service and the provider had procedures in place for managing the maintenance of the premises.
The layout of the building provided adequate space for people with walking aids or wheelchairs to mobilise safely around the home and was suitably designed for people with dementia type conditions.
The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and any conditions on authorisations to deprive a person of their liberty were being met.
We saw mental capacity assessments had been completed for people and best interest decisions made for their care and treatment. Care records contained evidence of consent.
People were protected against the risks associated with the unsafe use and management of medicines.
People had access to food and drink throughout the day and we saw staff supporting people at meal times when required.
The home had a full programme of activities in place for people who used the service.
All the care records we looked at showed people’s needs were assessed. Care plans and risk assessments were in place when required and daily records were up to date. Care plans were written in a person centred way and were reviewed regularly.
We saw staff used a range of assessment tools and kept clear records about how care was to be delivered. People who used the service had access to healthcare services and received ongoing healthcare support.
The provider had a complaints policy and procedure in place and complaints were fully investigated.
The provider had a robust quality assurance system in place and gathered information about the quality of their service from a variety of sources.