CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Asher Care
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable staffing, personalised risk assessments, safe medicines systems and safe infection control practices.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its rating was carried over from the previous inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its rating was carried over from the previous inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its rating was carried over from the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open and positive culture, clear management arrangements and quality checks that gave managers oversight of care and areas for improvement.
What inspectors found, November 2023
Asher Care is rated Good; inspectors found people safe and a positive, well-led home, but only Safe and Well-led were inspected.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 17 October 2023. Inspectors reviewed care records, medicines, recruitment, safety checks and quality records. They spoke with people, staff, relatives and health professionals, and observed interactions.
Inspectors found people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely, staffing levels were suitable and staff had the required skills. People could receive visitors and were supported in line with the Mental Capacity Act.
The home had an open culture and systems to monitor care and identify improvements. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. The overall Good rating also used ratings from the previous inspection for the areas not looked at this time.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe and comfortable raising concerns. Staff had safeguarding training and understood how to protect people.
“People were safeguarded from abuse and avoidable harm.” from the report
Suitable staffing
Inspectors found enough suitable staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks and staff training supported safe care.
“The provider ensured there were sufficient numbers of suitable staff.” from the report
Safe medicines
The home used medicines risk assessments, electronic alerts and stock checks. People who wanted to manage their own medicines were supported to do so safely.
“People were supported to receive their medicines safely.” from the report
Positive culture
Inspectors found that people were supported in person-centred ways and could spend time doing activities that mattered to them.
“There was a positive and open culture at the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and support my relative's specific mental health or dementia needs?
- 02How do you check that medicines remain safe if a person wants to manage some of them independently?
- 03How many staff will usually be available for the needs of residents on each shift?
- 04How will you involve my relative and our family in care planning and updates?
- 05What activities and opportunities to go out could my relative take part in?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive carried over from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 November 2023 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, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control and safe visiting arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was a targeted, announced inspection on 25 January 2022. Inspectors looked mainly at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected care.
The inspectors said they were assured that the home was using personal protective equipment safely, managing visits, carrying out testing and maintaining hygiene. They also found that the home was meeting the vaccination requirement for non-exempt staff and visiting professionals.
The overall service was marked "Inspected but not rated". The Safe question was also inspected but not rated, so this report does not give a usual quality rating for the home.
Safe family visits
The home created a separate garden cabin for people to meet family and friends safely. Visitors could also use patio doors to reduce contact with others in the home.
“The service built a cabin in the garden and equipped it like a tea shop.” from the report
PPE monitoring
A designated mask monitor checked that staff changed their masks every four hours, in line with the guidance described in the report.
“A designated person was appointed mask monitor.” from the report
Infection control systems
The home had updated infection control policies and changed its laundry system to reduce the chance of laundry being mixed up.
“Revamping the laundry system maximised infection prevention and control as well as reducing the frequency of people's laundry getting mixed up.” from the report
People felt supported
People told inspectors that they could still have visitors or contact with family and that their needs were being met.
“People told us they still had their needs met.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you managing any staffing pressures now, and what effect have they had on people's care?
- 02What visiting arrangements are currently in place, and can relatives still visit in a separate area or through patio doors?
- 03How do you check that staff use and change personal protective equipment correctly?
- 04How do you prevent people's laundry from being mixed up?
- 05What infection control policies and testing arrangements are currently used?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was not a full inspection and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 February 2022 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 Asher Care
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- August 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- January 2015
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 November 2013.
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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Devon
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 £1,020 to £1,270 a week. 15 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
“She is such a warm and gentle person while being professional and competent at the same time.”
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.