CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Ashwood Residential Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, including PPE, testing, visiting, admissions and outbreak management. They noted that some newer staff had not completed relevant training and that a frequent-touchpoint cleaning checklist was not in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- This was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This was not assessed during this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, January 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control arrangements, with some staff training and cleaning records still to improve.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 17 December 2020. It looked only at infection prevention and control because of the coronavirus outbreak response.
Inspectors found the home was working with the local health protection team. They were assured about visiting controls, social distancing, admissions, testing, protective equipment, cleaning supplies and managing outbreaks.
There were some areas to improve. Newer staff had not yet completed protective equipment and infection control training. A checklist for regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces was also not in place.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not give a quality rating for the home or a rating for its wider care.
Working with health protection staff
The home worked closely with the local health protection team. Visits and telephone support had led to action plans to promote good practice.
“The home was working closely with Wigan Council's health protection team, to ensure infection prevention and control (IPC) processes were robust.” from the report
Controlled visits
Normal visits were closed at the time, but the home had a process for controlled visits for people receiving palliative care. This included a separate access route, temperature checks and protective equipment.
“Although currently closed to normal visits, the home had a robust process in place for facilitating controlled visits for people receiving palliative care.” from the report
Safe admissions and zoning
New admissions were tested and isolated for 14 days before joining communal areas. Furniture and mealtimes had also been changed to support distancing.
“The home has used isolation and zoning appropriately, to ensure people were supported safely.” from the report
PPE and cleaning arrangements
Protective equipment and cleaning products were stored and used appropriately. Stations and suitable waste bins were available around the home.
“Both PPE and cleaning products were stored and used appropriately.” from the report
Training for newer staff
needs fixingNewer staff had not yet had the opportunity to complete PPE and infection control training. The report says correspondence with the local authority was taking place to address this.
“We were told newer staff had not had the opportunity to complete this training.” from the report
Cleaning records
needs fixingCleaning checklists were being used, but there was no checklist specifically recording regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.
“Cleaning checklists had been used, however one which specifically documented the regular cleaning of frequent touch points was not in place.” from the report
- 01Have all newer staff now completed PPE and infection control training?
- 02How is regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces recorded now?
- 03What are the current arrangements for visits, including visits for people receiving palliative care?
- 04How are new residents tested and supported during any isolation period?
- 05What was the outcome of the action plan agreed with the local health protection team?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and did not rate the other areas of the service. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 January 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, January 2019
Ashwood Residential Care Home was rated Good in all areas, with inspectors finding safe, kind and personalised care.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 7 and 8 January 2019. One inspector visited when 28 people were living in the home. The inspector spoke with people, staff, managers and a visiting professional, and reviewed care and staff records.
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Medicines, safeguarding, recruitment and risk management were handled safely. The home was clean, homely and suitable for people living with dementia.
People were treated with kindness and dignity. Staff supported people's choices, independence, food preferences and communication needs. Care plans were personalised, activities were available, and people and relatives were encouraged to give feedback or complain.
The home had an open management culture and effective checks on the quality of care. All five areas were rated Good. This was unchanged from the previous inspection in January 2016, and inspectors found no serious risks or concerns.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they trusted staff and felt safe. Staff knew how to respond to safeguarding concerns, and risks were assessed and reviewed.
“People continued to tell us they trusted the staff and felt safe living at the home.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff treated people with dignity, listened to their views and supported their independence. Inspectors observed friendly and respectful interactions.
“We observed people were treated with kindness and dignity during the inspection.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's preferences, health needs and communication requirements. Staff respected different routines, food choices and preferred places to spend time.
“Care plans contained information about how to provide support to people, what they liked and disliked and their preferences.” from the report
Good management
Managers were visible and approachable. The home used feedback and audits to check care and identify improvements.
“We found the manager attended forums and development groups in the local area” from the report
Food and healthcare
People had choices at mealtimes and were offered drinks and snacks. The home worked with a range of healthcare professionals and followed their advice.
“We observed people were offered drinks several times during the day in between designated meal times, which helped to reduce the potential for dehydration.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and review my relative's individual risks and care needs?
- 02How many staff will usually be on duty when my relative needs support?
- 03How will you record and support my relative's food, drink and special dietary preferences?
- 04What activities and community links would be suitable for my relative, including if they have dementia?
- 05How will you involve my relative and our family in future care planning, including end-of-life wishes?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the ratings remained Good from the January 2016 inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 January 2019 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 Ashwood Residential Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Ashwood Residential Care Home →
- January 2019GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Ashwood Residential Care Home →
- December 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 21 December 2017.
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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