CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Ashmount
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks had been assessed and staff knew how to keep people safe. Medicines, staffing, recruitment, fire safety, infection control and incident records were managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs and were reviewed. Staff had relevant training and worked with health professionals to support nutrition, healthcare, communication and mental capacity decisions.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were offered choices, supported to maintain relationships and encouraged to be as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and staff understood people's communication needs and preferences. People took part in individual and group activities, outings, holidays and community activities.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open and caring culture. Managers used audits, checks, staff meetings and feedback from families and professionals to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, February 2020
Ashmount was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, caring and personalised support, with no breaches reported.
The inspection took place on 27 November and 3 December 2019. The first visit was unannounced, followed by a visit with 24 hours' notice. Inspectors spoke with managers, staff, a visiting professional and three family members. They observed care because residents could not communicate easily and reviewed care, medicine, staff and management records.
Five people with learning disabilities and autism were living at the home. Inspectors found that people appeared relaxed and comfortable with staff. Staff supported people safely, met their health and dietary needs, offered choices and helped them take part in activities in the home and community.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home was also rated Good overall, the same as at the previous inspection published on 23 May 2017.
Personalised support
Care plans contained detailed information about each person's needs, abilities and preferences. Staff used communication methods that people understood when offering choices.
“People's care plans were personalised and included detailed up to date information about their individual needs, abilities and preferences.” from the report
Kind staff
Inspectors saw staff interacting warmly and supportively with residents. Families also gave positive feedback about the care.
“People appeared relaxed and comfortable with staff. Staff interacted well with people and were caring and supportive towards them.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to take part in activities suited to their interests, including outings, holidays and visits to friends and family.
“People also had opportunities to go on short holidays and day trips further afield.” from the report
Good safety arrangements
The home had detailed risk guidance, enough staff and safe medicine systems. Inspectors found no gaps in the medicine administration records they checked.
“People received their medicines as prescribed. Medicines administration records (MARs) were correctly completed with no gaps.” from the report
Open management
The manager and staff were described as supportive and open. Regular checks and audits were used to identify and address concerns.
“The home was well managed. There was a transparent and open culture.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you make sure residents' behaviour and communication are understood when they cannot speak or write a complaint?
- 02What activities, outings or holidays are currently available for my relative, and how are these matched to their interests?
- 03How will you keep me informed about changes in my relative's health, care plan or medicines?
- 04How do you support people with specific eating, drinking, choking or PEG feeding needs?
- 05How are residents and families involved in best-interest decisions and reviews of care?
This inspection covered the home, the care provided and all five CQC questions; inspectors could not speak directly with residents because of their communication impairments and used observation, records and feedback instead. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 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, May 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with major improvements since the previous inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection on 26 April 2017. Two inspectors observed care, spoke with staff, the registered manager, relatives and a social care professional, and checked care plans, medicines records, risk assessments, complaints and audits.
The home supported five people with learning disabilities and could accommodate up to seven. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable risk assessments and staff who understood safeguarding. People had access to healthcare, nutritious food and support with legal decisions.
Inspectors saw kind interactions and respect for privacy, dignity and choice. Care plans were detailed and activities had greatly improved. The previous inspection had found breaches about individual activities and record keeping, but inspectors found these issues had been addressed.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means the inspection found the home was meeting the relevant standards at that visit, while still identifying some small possible improvements to care plans.
Activities had improved
People were supported to go out more often and try new activities. Inspectors found more individual activities, including trips, holidays, music sessions and community activities.
“We found at this inspection things had improved and people were going out more and trying new things.” from the report
Detailed care records
Care plans described people's likes, dislikes, health needs, routines and ways of communicating. Staff used this information to provide individualised support.
“People's care plans were person centred, detailed and regularly reviewed to ensure staff had access to the most up to date information relating to people's needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff understood people's communication and routines. Inspectors saw people being supported with kindness, dignity, privacy and independence.
“Staff interacted with people in a kind and caring manner and it was evident close relationships had developed between people and staff.” from the report
Safe medicines management
Medicines were stored securely and records showed they were given as prescribed. Guidance was available for medicines taken when needed.
“Safe medicines management systems were in place.” from the report
Strong management oversight
The manager understood what was happening in the home and acted on feedback. Regular audits and improvement work were in place.
“The registered manager had excellent management oversight of the home.” from the report
Small care plan improvements
minorInspectors suggested some small improvements to care plans at the end of the inspection. The report does not describe this as a breach or a major concern.
“At feedback we mentioned some small improvements to people's care plans that could be considered” from the report
- 01How have you maintained the improvements in individual activities since the inspection?
- 02How are care plans checked and updated now, including the small improvements mentioned by inspectors?
- 03How do you make sure staff understand each person's communication style, routines and risk assessments?
- 04How do you monitor medicines records, including medicines given only when needed?
- 05How do you support people to take part in community activities and develop independent living skills?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions; inspectors could not speak directly with people because of their communication needs, so they observed care and spoke with staff, relatives and a social care professional. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 May 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 Ashmount
4 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Inadequate to Good.
- February 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2015InadequateSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: InadequateResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- December 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 October 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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