CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Ashgate Cottage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that staff understood people's risks, recorded and reviewed incidents, used appropriate safeguarding systems and managed medicines safely. Staffing levels were reviewed to make sure they met people's needs.
- Effective?
- Good
- People had detailed assessments and care plans. Staff received ongoing training and worked with internal and external health professionals to support people's health and wellbeing.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with patience, calmness, affection and respect. People and relatives were involved in decisions, and staff understood verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed and personalised. Staff supported people to take part in activities, use community facilities, maintain relationships and communicate in ways they could understand.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive leadership, regular feedback from relatives and structured quality checks. The service used audits, reports and meetings to identify improvements and share learning.
What inspectors found, February 2020
Ashgate Cottage is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care that promoted independence.
This was a planned inspection on 21 January 2020. One inspector reviewed care and medicine records, staff recruitment and training records, accidents, safeguarding and quality checks. They observed how staff supported people and spoke with relatives, staff and health and social care professionals.
The home supported three people with autism spectrum conditions. Inspectors found detailed risk assessments and care plans, enough staff, safe medicines practice and good links with health professionals. Staff knew people well and supported them calmly, respectfully and in ways that encouraged choice and independence.
Activities reflected people's interests and communication needs. The home had a clear system for checking quality and learning from incidents. All five CQC areas were rated Good, which means inspectors found the service consistently met people's needs at the time of this inspection.
Personalised care
Care plans gave staff detailed information about each person's abilities, preferences and communication. Staff updated them when people's needs or interests changed.
“Care plans were extremely detailed and person-centred.” from the report
Respectful support
Staff were patient, calm and respectful. They understood people's individual ways of communicating and supported them to make choices.
“People's needs and wishes determined how staff responded; staff were skilled in terms of appropriate training but also emotionally.” from the report
Family relationships
The home helped people maintain important family relationships and supported involvement in family events.
“The service excelled at helping people maintain family relationships important to them.” from the report
Meaningful activities
Activities were based on people's interests and included community outings, personal interests and weekly music therapy.
“Staff took time to understand people's life histories and preferences so they could tailor one to one activities for them.” from the report
Experienced staff
Most staff had worked at the home for several years. Inspectors found them experienced and confident in their roles.
“Staff were experienced and confident in their roles.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you review staffing levels if my relative's needs change?
- 02How will you support my relative to communicate choices and make decisions?
- 03What activities and community opportunities would match my relative's interests?
- 04How would you support my relative to maintain important family relationships?
- 05How do you use incident reports, audits and relatives' feedback to make improvements?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC areas, including the premises and care provided; the previous overall and question ratings were also Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 February 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.
What inspectors found, July 2017
Ashgate Cottage is Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with one new staff member still awaiting medicines training.
This was a comprehensive inspection on 22 February and 4 April 2017. One inspector spent time with the three people living there, spoke with staff and relatives, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment, training and management records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines arrangements, suitable training and detailed support plans for people's complex needs.
Relatives said people were happy and relaxed and that staff were caring. People could not explain their views directly because of their complex needs, so inspectors also observed them and sought relatives' views.
The home had been rated Good at the previous inspection and remained Good. The provider had achieved earlier improvements in autism training and staff turnover, and planned to add a conservatory for extra sitting space.
Enough suitable staff
There were enough staff for the three people, with flexible arrangements for appointments and activities. Recruitment included checks to ensure applicants were suitable.
“There were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Autism-specific support
Staff had training in autism and positive behaviour support. Care records explained each person's communication, routines and individual needs.
“People received care from staff who had specific training in autism spectrum condition and were clear about how to meet each person's individual needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Relatives said people were happy and relaxed. Staff supported privacy, dignity and independence, including involvement in meals, shopping and household tasks.
“Relatives told us the service was caring and that people were "happy" and "relaxed" there.” from the report
Personalised care planning
Support plans were written from each person's perspective and explained how they communicated and showed their feelings or pain.
“Care records were written from the perspective of the person and were individualised about each person.” from the report
Regular quality checks
The manager and provider carried out regular checks on medicines, health and safety, care records, training and people's involvement.
“The home was subject to comprehensive quality audits carried out by the operations manager three times a year.” from the report
Medicines training pending
minorOne new staff member had not yet completed medicines training at the time of the inspection. The report says the person was booked onto the course.
“All the staff were trained in safe handling of medicines, except a new staff member who was booked on the training course.” from the report
- 01Has every staff member now completed medicines training, including anyone who joined after this inspection?
- 02How will you make sure staff recognise and respond to each person's communication about pain, distress or illness?
- 03What progress has been made with the planned conservatory and how will this provide extra sitting space?
- 04How are relatives involved in reviewing care, goals and changes in support?
- 05How do you make sure people can choose activities and decline them if they do not want to take part?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, with observations, discussions and reviews of care, medicines, staff and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 July 2017 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 Ashgate Cottage
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 January 2011.
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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46 live-in carers within about an hour of Sunderland
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 £950 to £1,210 a week. 42 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.