Archived: Ashley Cooper House

We found the following examples of good practice.

National guidance was being followed on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 testing.

There were good supplies of PPE readily available to staff and visitors.

Staff had received training in handwashing, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and the use of PPE.

There were procedures and assessments to manage and minimise the risks COVID-19 presented to people who used the service, staff and visitors.

The home was clean and hygienic when we visited.

Ashley Cooper House is a residential care home that provides personal care and accommodation for up to 16 people some of whom have physical disabilities. At the time of this inspection, 12 people were receiving support from this service.

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

Care records lacked information related to discussions that staff had with people about their end of life wishes. We made a recommendation about this.

Although some staff had not recently completed training in mental health awareness and epilepsy, they had guidance on how to support people safely. People were not always involved in making food choices, but they enjoyed the meals provided. Staff were not provided with opportunities to share their feedback anonymously should they wanted to. Immediately after the inspection, the registered manager told us the actions they took to address these areas.

Staff followed the provider’s procedures to support people safely if they noticed them being at risk of harm or when incidents and accidents took place. Risk management plans were robust and person-centred. Pre-employment checks took place to ensure staff’s suitability for the job. People had support to manage their medicines safely. Systems were in place to ensure hygienic care for people.

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. Healthcare professionals guided staff where people required support to meet their health needs. Information was collected to assess people’s care needs to ensure they were provided with the right support.

People and their relatives told us that staff were caring and compassionate. They knew people’s personal histories and their individual support needs. People had opportunities to discuss their choices in how they wanted to be cared for. Staff supported people to enhance their independence where possible.

People’s care plans were detailed and person-centred. Staff were aware of how best to support people with their communication needs. People were provided with information on how to report their concerns and felt confident to approach the management team if needed.

There was a good leadership at the service promoting staff’s support in their job and encouraging development to motivate them in providing good care for people. Team working values were shared aiming to achieve high quality services. Quality assurance processes were in place to monitor the effectiveness of the care being delivered for people.

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

Rating at last inspection- The last rating for this service was good (published 7 March 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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

At our previous inspection of 28 July 2016 we found the service was in breach of a Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014 regulation. This related to premises and equipment. The provider had not ensured that equipment was suitable for the purpose for which they were being used. We undertook a comprehensive inspection on 18 January 2017 to check that the service now met the legal requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘Ashley Cooper House’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We found the action taken to address this was sufficient and the provider met our regulation. At the time of our inspection, the provider had replaced 16 doors and installed 13 automatic door closers. Despite the outstanding three automatic door closers which the service was awaiting delivery for, this did not hinder people’s access to all parts of the building. The registered manager informed us after the inspection that the three remaining automatic door closers had been installed and that all doors were functioning correctly and were safe for people to use.

There was a registered manager 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.

People were happy living at the service. Staff delivered people’s care in a kind and compassionate manner. People’s dignity and respect was maintained. People gave consent to care and treatment. People were supported to pursue their interests and to remain as independent as possible.

People had received their medicines safely when needed. Staff managed and stored medicines appropriately. Risks to people’s health were assessed and staff had sufficient guidance on how to protect them from harm. People’s needs were assessed and staff had information on how to deliver their care. People’s care was delivered as planned and met people’s individual needs.

Staff were supported in their role and felt valued at the service. The registered manager’s carried out supervisions and appraisals to monitor staff performance and address any knowledge gaps.

People and their relatives where appropriate were involved in planning and reviewing of people’s care. People’s care was provided in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

People had enough to eat and drink and enjoyed the choice of meals offered at the service. People’s nutritional and dietary needs were known and staff sought professional guidance to support them appropriately. People accessed healthcare services they required to main their well-being.

People and staff described the registered manager as approachable and open to ideas to develop the service. People were confident the registered manager would take their concerns seriously.

People knew how to make a complaint if they were not happy with the quality of the service. Complaints were addressed appropriately and to the satisfaction of people.

The service was subject to regular checks and any shortfalls were addressed to improve the quality of care.

The service was last inspected on 4 November 2015 when we found one breach of regulation relating to the cleanliness of parts of the building.

The service has a registered manager. 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.

The manager was not available on the day of our visit and the deputy manager assisted us with the inspection.

At this inspection we found one breach of regulation. People did not have free access to all parts of the building because adapted doors did not work effectively.

The provider had arranged for an audit of the home to take place and the management team were addressing the areas which needed improvements.

We found improvements had been made to the cleanliness and condition of shower rooms and toilets.