CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 195 Ashby Road
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, enough staff, safe recruitment, safe medicines management and effective infection control.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's physical, mental health and social needs were assessed. Staff had training and supervision, people were supported with eating and drinking, and they could access healthcare services.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. They were involved in decisions about their care and daily lives, and personal care was carried out privately.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Support was highly individualised and focused on people's goals, identity, relationships, communication and move towards independence. People were supported to take positive risks and take part in meaningful activities.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found an open, inclusive and empowering culture. Quality checks, staff support, feedback and links with health professionals were used very effectively to improve people's care.
What inspectors found, September 2021
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally responsive and well-led care, with safe, effective and kind support.
Inspectors visited on 9 and 11 August 2021. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals. They also reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff training, recruitment and quality checks.
The home supports 10 young people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health issues. Inspectors found that staff knew people very well and helped them build practical skills, make choices and work towards more independent living. People were supported with their communication, relationships, culture, education and community activities.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective and Caring. It was rated Outstanding for Responsive and Well-led. The overall rating was Outstanding, meaning inspectors found exceptionally responsive care and exceptional leadership and service culture.
The inspection was partly prompted by concerns about potentially restrictive practices. Inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.
Support for independence
Staff helped people develop everyday skills such as cooking, cleaning, budgeting and problem-solving. Care plans recorded progress towards more independent living.
“People were assisted by a committed, well supported staff team to plan and achieve individual goals with the ambition to move towards independent living.” from the report
Individual support
Staff understood people's preferences, backgrounds and communication styles. Information was adapted using pictures, gestures, art and other methods when needed.
“People had information made available to them in ways which were innovative and adapted to match their individual learning styles.” from the report
Respect and dignity
People were involved in decisions about their care and daily routines. Inspectors saw that staff respected privacy, dignity and personal space.
“Throughout this inspection people were treated well and with respect by a staff team who understood and supported their dignity.” from the report
Strong leadership
The management team promoted an open and honest culture. Audits, feedback, incidents and complaints were reviewed to identify improvements.
“Audits and governance systems were highly effective in identifying and implementing improvements.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to maintain friendships and take part in education, work placements, exercise, cultural activities and home-based activities, including during the pandemic.
“People were supported to identify what they wanted to do and what brought them joy as well as challenging them educationally and vocationally.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and support my relative's individual goals for independence, such as cooking, budgeting, education or moving on?
- 02How would you adapt information and communication for my relative's particular learning and communication style?
- 03What medicines might my relative receive only when needed or to support behaviour and emotions, and how would their use be reviewed?
- 04If restrictions were considered necessary, how would they be authorised, reviewed and kept as least restrictive as possible?
- 05How would you help my relative maintain relationships, cultural or religious practices, education and community activities?
This inspection looked at all five key questions and included infection prevention and control; an October 2020 focused inspection looked only at infection prevention and control and did not provide a rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 September 2021 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, November 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection control arrangements were keeping people safe.
The inspection took place on 28 October 2020 and was announced. It was part of a CQC review of infection prevention and control in care homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors looked at how the home managed visitors, social distancing, admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleaning and possible outbreaks. They were assured that the home had suitable arrangements in all these areas.
The home was clean. Visits were booked, limited to one person and held in a separate summer house, with cleaning between visits. People also used video calls when visits were restricted.
This was not a full inspection of the home. The service was marked inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Managed visits
Visits were organised to reduce the risk of infection. The visiting area was cleaned between visits.
“A booking system was in place for visits. Visits were restricted to one person and took place in a summer house outside the main building” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the environment clean, with regular touch-point cleaning and a daily deep clean.
“The environment was clean, and people were encouraged to keep their home clean.” from the report
Support for staff
Staff had regular updates and access to wellbeing services. They told inspectors they felt safe in their roles.
“Staff had access to wellbeing services and told us they felt safe carrying out their role because they were supported by the registered manager.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visits arranged now, and where do visits take place?
- 02How often are touch points and shared areas cleaned, and how is this recorded?
- 03How are people supported and assessed when they access the community?
- 04How are people using the home and staff tested for infections?
- 05What is the current procedure if there is an infection outbreak?
This was an announced thematic inspection focused on infection prevention and control under the Safe question; the service was inspected but not rated and the other questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 November 2020 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of 195 Ashby Road
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- September 2021Outstandingcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- November 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2018Outstandingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 October 2014.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Staffordshire
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,230 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“We particularly appreciate the companionship Dawn gives in the evenings when she plays cards and Scrabble with my mother.”
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