The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Ashlands Nursing Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Turnpike, Newchurch, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 9DU (01706) 217979

Provided and run by:
Ashlands NH Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

23 October 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Ashlands Nursing Home is a residential care home and at the time of the inspection was providing personal and nursing care to 16 people aged 60 and over. The service can support up to 21 people.

At the time of the inspection, there were strict rules in place throughout the County of Lancashire relating to social restrictions and shielding practices. These are commonly known as ‘Tier 3 restrictions’. This meant the Covid 19 alert level was very high and there were tighter restrictions in place affecting the whole community.

We found the following examples of good practice:

The provider and registered manager had comprehensive processes to minimise the risk to people, staff and visitors from catching and spreading infection. These included weekly testing of staff and every 28 days for people living in the home. Hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment (PPE) were available throughout the home. There were signs to remind staff, visitors and people about the use of PPE, the importance of washing hands and regular use of hand sanitisers.

Where appropriate and consistent with infection control rules, ‘socially-distanced' visits had been taking place so that people could safely visit their relatives. We noted the processes around this were consistent with the rules at the time of inspection and were regularly reviewed and adapted to reflect latest guidance and legislation. This was communicated effectively to people using the service and their relatives.

Infection control policy and people's risk assessments had been completed and revised following the pandemic so that people were protected in the event of becoming unwell or in the event of a Covid 19 outbreak in the home. The registered manager insisted people were tested before admission and consistent with local guidance, people were not being admitted to the home at the time of the inspection. This will be reviewed as appropriate and in line with any changes in restrictions. We were satisfied the service, staff, people and visitors were following the rules.

People's mental wellbeing had been promoted by innovative use of social media and electronic tablets so people could contact their relatives and friends. Staff had comprehensive knowledge of good practice guidance and had attended Covid 19 specialist training hosted by the local authority. There were sufficient staff to provide continuity of support and ensure safeguards were in place should there be a staff shortage.

Policies and infection control processes were regularly reviewed when guidance changed. The home was clean and hygienic. All staff had received Covid 19 related supervision and had access to appropriate support to manage their wellbeing should it be required.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

27 February 2018

During a routine inspection

We carried out an unannounced inspection of Ashlands Nursing Home on 27 February and 5 March 2018. The service is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided and we looked at both during this inspection. The home provides accommodation, nursing care and personal care in single and shared rooms for up to 19 people. At the time of our inspection 19 people were living at the home.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

We found that people received safe care. Records showed that that staff had been recruited safely and the staff we spoke with were aware of how to safeguard adults at risk. There were safe processes and practices in place for the management of medicines. People and their relatives told us there were always enough staff available to meet their needs.

People liked the staff who supported them. They told us staff were kind and caring and provided them with support when they needed it.

Staff received an effective induction and appropriate training. People who lived at the home and their relatives felt that staff had the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs.

People received appropriate support with eating and drinking and their healthcare needs. Appropriate referrals were made to community health and social care professionals.

People told us staff respected their right to privacy and dignity and encouraged them to be as independent as possible. We observed this during the inspection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way; the policies and systems at the service supported this practice. Where people lacked the capacity to make decisions about their care, the service had taken appropriate action in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People told us that they received care that reflected their needs, risks and preferences and we found evidence of this. Where appropriate, relatives had been consulted about people’s care and were updated regularly by staff.

People were very happy with the activities and entertainment available at the home. Records and photographs showed that people were supported regularly to take part in a wide variety of activities in the home and the community.

Staff used a variety of methods to communicate effectively with people, including providing information in braille, large print and in a pictorial format. They supported people sensitively and did not rush them when providing care.

The service had a registered manager in post. Relatives and staff were very happy with how the service was being managed. They found the registered manager caring, approachable and helpful and told us any concerns were addressed immediately.

A variety of audits of quality and safety were completed by the registered manager regularly. We found the audits completed were effective in ensuring that high levels of quality and safety were maintained at the service.

The registered manager regularly sought feedback from people living at the home and their relatives in a variety of ways. These included residents meetings, satisfaction surveys and a suggestions box. A high level of satisfaction had been expressed by people living at the home and their relatives about all aspects of the care and support provided.

People living at the home and their relatives were very happy with how the service was being managed. They told us that the registered manager was approachable and any issues were resolved immediately.

Staff were very happy with the management of the service and felt well supported by the registered manager . They found her approachable, helpful and inspiring. In addition to developing her own leadership skills, the registered manager provided opportunities for staff to develop their skills.

The registered manager was passionate about providing people with high quality care. She was a member of various health and social care organisations and attended a variety of forums to help her keep up with and share good practice. This enhanced the care people received, resulting in better outcomes for people living at the home.

We received very positive feedback from community professionals about the registered manager and the quality of the care provided at the home. The home had been nominated for an award by the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

12, 13 and 14 August 2015

During a routine inspection

We carried out an unannounced inspection of Ashlands Nursing Home on 12, 13 and 14 August 2015.

Ashlands Nursing Home provides accommodation, personal care and nursing care for up to 21older people, including people living with dementia and people with mental health needs. There are 13 bedrooms; eight bedrooms are shared and five are single. At the time of the inspection there were 19 people living at the service.

The service is located in the town of Waterfoot in the Rossendale Valley in Lancashire. The building is a detached, grade II listed building and is set in two and a half acres of well-maintained grounds. Bedrooms and facilities are located over two floors and a lift is available. There is a lounge and dining room on the ground and all rooms have wheelchair access. Bedrooms do not have are ensuite facilities however there is access to suitably equipped toilet and bathroom facilities on both floors.

At the time of our inspection the registered manager had been in post at Ashlands Nursing Home since June 2014. 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. This was the first inspection that has been carried out at this service.

During our inspection people told us they felt safe. They said, “The staff look after you” and “I always feel safe when staff are helping me”. Relatives told us, “The care is excellent. We’ve never had a problem”.

We noted that staff had been recruited safely and received an appropriate induction and training. They had a good understanding of how to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse and what action to take if they suspected abuse was taking place.

Staffing levels were appropriate and sufficient to meet people’s needs. People told us, “You can’t fault the staff. There are always enough of them” and “We never have to wait long for staff to come”. A visiting professional told us there were always enough staff on duty when she visited.

There were appropriate policies and procedures in place for managing medicines and people told us they received their medicines when they needed them.

People living at Ashlands Nursing Home told us staff were able to meet their needs. They said, “The care is fantastic, it couldn’t be better” and “The staff know what I like and need”.

We found that staff were well supported. They received regular supervision and could access a wide variety of training. They told us communication between staff was good at the service and they always felt up to date with people’s needs.

Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and understood that mental capacity related to a person’s ability to make specific decisions at specific times. We saw evidence that people were involved in decisions about their care and where people lacked capacity to make decisions, their relatives were consulted.

We saw that people at the service were supported with their nutritional needs and they told us they liked the meals. They said, “There’s always something you like and too much sometimes. We’re not rushed” and “If I don’t like what’s on the menu, I can have something I like”. We saw evidence that people were supported with specialist diets.

People were supported with their healthcare needs and were referred appropriately to health care services. Visiting dieticians told us they received few referrals as staff at Ashlands managed people’s nutrition well. They told us staff always sought advice and support as soon as it was needed.

People we spoke with told us that staff were caring. They said, “The staff are very caring. They’re respectful and they listen to you”. A relative told us, “You can see and hear how caring the staff are. They make sure people are alright”.

We saw evidence that people were actively involved in planning their care and they told us they had the freedom to make a variety of choices including what time they got up and went to bed, where they ate their meals and what they were going to wear each day.

People told us staff respected their privacy and promoted their dignity. We observed staff seeking consent before providing care including knocking on people’s doors before entering and asking people if they were ready to receive their medicines.

We found that people had been asked about end of life care. The manager had documented whether people wanted to be admitted to hospital or to remain at Ashlands if they were receiving end of life care and there was evidence that relatives had been consulted where people were unable to make this decision.

We observed that people’s needs were responded to quickly and saw evidence that their needs were reviewed regularly. Where people were unable to contribute to reviews, we saw evidence that their relatives and friends had been consulted.

People were encouraged to plan and take part in social activities and told us they enjoyed the activities on offer at Ashlands Nursing Home. They said, “There’s something on every day. There’s always something to do” and “There are plenty of activities. I love the quiz”.

We saw evidence that the manager regularly requested comments and suggestions about the service from the people living there, their visitors and from staff members. The feedback received was used to develop the service and to contribute to decisions about issues such as activities, menus and staffing levels.

People living at Ashlands and their relatives told us they felt able to raise any concerns. They said,

“If I was unhappy I would talk to the manager or the deputy manager” and “I’ve had no concerns but I’d tell staff if anything was wrong”. We noted there was a complaints policy in place and the manager responded to any concerns and complaints quickly. Prior to this inspection we had not received any concerns or complaints about the service.

The people we spoke with and their relatives felt the service was well managed. They told us,

“The manager makes sure that everything is right” and “Ashlands is managed well, it couldn’t be better”.

We saw that the service had a clear statement of purpose that was displayed in the entrance and focused on the importance of treating people with dignity and respect. Staff were clear about their role and what was expected of them and we observed that the registered manager led by example and communicated with people, their visitors and staff members in a polite and respectful manner. The registered manager and staff had a caring and compassionate approach towards the people living at the service and everyone we spoke with told us they were approachable.

The registered manager told us that compassion was important to her and we noted that the service had signed up to a number of initiatives including the Dignity in Care Charter and the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends programme. In addition, all staff were completing end of life training which was being provided by Rossendale Hospice.

We saw evidence that the registered manager carried out a variety of regular audits to ensure that appropriate levels of care and safety at the service were maintained and any actions identified were completed in a timely manner.