Ashtonleigh

Ashtonleigh provides accommodation and personal care for up to 54 older people with varied care needs. Some people were living with dementia, whilst others required support with physical illness or disability. There were 49 people using the service at the time of inspection. There were single and double occupancy rooms available. Some people had bathrooms attached to their bedrooms and there were communal facilities for those that did not. There were numerous communal areas for people to relax in, including a large, well maintained garden.

At our last inspection in October 2017, the service was rated 'Requires Improvement' with one breach to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. During this inspection, we found significant improvements had been made and the provider is now meeting the regulations.

The service had two registered managers. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us they felt safe and that staff knew them and any risks to their wellbeing. There were risk assessments for people and for the building, with relevant safety checks completed by the management team each month. Staff were recruited safely and there were suitable numbers so people's needs were consistently met. Staff had a good understanding of how to recognise potential signs of abuse and what actions to take with any concerns. Medicines were given in a safe, consistent way, by staff who were competent to do so. Any accidents or incidents were analysed and actions taken immediately to prevent their reoccurrence.

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 supported this practise.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to support people and meet all their needs. They spoke highly of the training offered. Their induction was in depth and gave them opportunities to get to know people, their routines and preferences. Further support was provided in supervisions, appraisals and team meetings.

People's nutritional needs were met and they were positive about the quality and choice available of food. People had continuous input from a variety of health and social care professionals to improve their wellbeing. People's health conditions were managed well and staff valued and followed feedback or guidance given by professionals.

Feedback from people, their relatives and a professional was consistent, in that staff were kind, caring and attentive to people's needs. People's dignity, independence and privacy was promoted and encouraged. Staff knew people, their preferences and support needs well and celebrated special events with them. They took an interest in people's wishes and did everything possible to make these happen.

Care plans were tailored to individual's and detailed support needs, preferences, people's life stories and routines. Staff were knowledgeable of people's communication support needs and used a variety of tools to support them with this. People told us they always felt listened to. There was a clear complaints process and any concerns received had been responded to promptly and professionally. People had choice and control over the activities they wanted to participate in each day. These were tailor-made to people's likes and dislikes and used to support them to reminisce about their past.

People, their relatives, staff and a professional were complimentary of the management team. They felt that the service was well-led and that an open, transparent and supportive culture was promoted. Quality assurance processes were robust and ensured documentation was up to date and reflective of people. Regular audits carried out by the provider, director, registered managers and deputy managers meant that there was continuous oversight of the service. Management and staff were proud of the home and keen to continuously improve and grow together.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found