Archived: Ashley House - Guildford

Ashley House - Guildford 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. There are six double bedrooms with en-suite showers and toilets and 15 single occupancy rooms with en-suite toilets. People also have access to communal shower rooms and toilets. A passenger and stair lift are available for access to parts of the accommodation. The service has well-maintained gardens.

At the time of the inspection, 17 people were using the service.

A registered manager was in post. 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.

At the last inspection of 9 and 10 November 2015, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

People continued to receive care that protected them from abuse. The registered manager assessed and reviewed risks to people’s safety and well-being. Staff minimised the risk of harm and avoidable incidents. People’s medicines were administered and managed safely.

People received care from a sufficient number of staff who underwent safe recruitment practices. Staff followed good hygiene methods to prevent and control the risk of infection.

People’s needs were assessed, planned and delivered in line with evidence-based practice. Care delivery met the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People consented to care and treatment. Staff were supported, supervised and trained to deliver care effectively.

People received food that met their preferences and dietary needs. Staff supported people to maintain good health and access healthcare services. The premises were suitably adapted to meet people’s needs.

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 practice.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff knew people well and provided emotional support when needed. People were involved in making decisions about their care and staff respected their choices. People had access to advocacy services when required. People had their privacy, dignity and confidentiality respected.

People’s needs underwent regular reviews to identify any changes to their care and support requirements. Staff followed guidance to provide care that responded to people’s needs. People had opportunities to engage in activities and to maintain their independence. People knew how to make a complaint and were confident any issues raised would be resolved.

People’s care delivery was at the heart of the service. People and staff were happy about the management of the home. Staff understood and championed the provider’s vision to deliver person centred care. The registered manager was approachable and available to support staff in their roles. The quality of care underwent regular checks to drive improvement. Other agencies were involved to share best practice guidance and to improve care delivery.

We observed staff interacting with people and found they were respectful, courteous and friendly. During our visit we saw staff knocking on people's doors and waiting to be invited in. People said staff took care of their possessions and they ensured their dignity was maintained during personal care and support.

We saw the provider's complaints file. There were no complaints recorded during the previous twelve months. We also saw the provider's compliments and thank you cards folder. There were many letters and cards expressing gratitude for care provided from people's relatives. Most of these referred to the kindness and compassion of staff. Other comments related to the high standard of care and comfort provided.

Relatives spoken with were very positive about the quality of care at the home, for example " it such a lovely place, my auntie is safe and well cared for", "staff always keep me informed about my auntie's care needs and if anything changes", " and " the staff are lovely, always polite and courteous", " I am so relieved my dad is in such safe hands and in such a lovely homely and family environment.

People and their relatives told us Ashley House was a safe place to live. Health care professionals told us the staff at the home were very good at noticing changes in people's needs. They also said, where necessary, people were referred to other professionals in a timely manner. They told us people at Ashley House were well cared for.

We were told that the provider worked at the home most days including weekends. Staff told us they spent a good deal of time chatting with people, and occasionally eating their meals with them. One person spoken with told us the "owners were as much part of the Ashley House family as they were".