Ashcroft House is a service registered to provide accommodation and personal care for a maximum of seven people. The service provides care and support for people with a learning disability or physical disability.

The service was last inspected on 15 January 2014. At that time we found the service was meeting the requirements of the regulations we inspected.

This inspection took place on 2 and 3 November 2016. There were 5 people using the service at the time of this inspection. There had been no admissions to the service since the last inspection.

There was a manager at the service who was registered with CQC. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People said they felt safe living at Ashcroft House. People were relaxed and happy and they freely

approached staff in conversation and interactions with them were positive. People said they enjoyed life at the service. One person said, “It is absolutely lovely here. I like the staff…I feel happy and safe here.” A health professional said they felt the service was safe and staff had a good understanding of the person’s needs.

People were protected from potential abuse because staff had a good knowledge of how to keep people safe from harm. Staff took steps to minimise risks to people's wellbeing without taking away people's rights to make decisions. People’s medicines were managed safely. There were enough staff to meet people's needs and ensure they enjoyed a range of activities. Staff had been employed following appropriate recruitment and selection processes.

The service followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Code of practice and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This helped to protect the rights of people who may not be able to make important decisions themselves.

People had access to a range of health care professionals to help maintain their health. A varied and nutritious diet was provided to people that took into account dietary needs and preferences

Staff were provided with relevant induction and training to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge for their role. Staff understood their role and what was expected of them. They were happy in their work, motivated and confident in the way the service was managed.

Positive interactions were observed between staff and the people they cared for. People's privacy and dignity was respected and staff supported people to be independent and to make their own choices.

Staff understood the needs of the people they were supporting. Care plans were comprehensive although they contained some duplicated information, some of which had not been up-dated. There were systems in place to share information about people's changing needs.

People were supported to participate in a range of meaningful activities both in and outside of the service, according to their interests and choice. A complaints policy was in place and people knew how to raise any worries or concerns they may have.

The registered manager had created an open and inclusive ethos with people and staff feeling valued. People had regular opportunities to voice their feedback and become involved in the development of the service.

A quality assurance system was in place that consisted of audits and checks. When shortfalls were identified action was taken to address some issues although timescales for other actions were not always clear. For example, aspects of the environment needed attention to ensure the service was homely and maintained to a high standard.

The home had a very peaceful and calm atmosphere. The people who used the service appeared to have a good relationship with the staff. People who use the service had their needs assessed and were involved in the planning and delivery of this. People we spoke with told us that the staff help them to understand the information given to them in an unhurried way.

People’s needs were assessed by the manager in conjunction with other professionals involved in their care. This process included an assessment of risk and forming a management plan to keep the person safe. Reviews included the person and their relatives and others involved in their care.

We observed medication being administered and noted that the policy was followed correctly. The member of staff was polite and explained the medication to the person. We looked at the medication record and saw that it had been completed accurately.

The staff were fully trained and the provider had systems in place for supervision and appraisals designed to maintain the standards of care. We saw records of these in staff files.

We viewed the complaints policy and found it was accurate and set out actions to take in making and receiving complaints. It set out the timescales for responding to complaints and the process for investigation. It showed the contacts for escalating the concern if required within the company as well as details of the Care Quality Commission and the local government ombudsman service

In this report the name of a registered manager appear who was not in post and not managing the regulatory activities at this location at the time of the inspection. Their names appear because they were still a Registered Manager on our register at the time.

There were five people living at the home at the time of the inspection. During our visit we spoke with two people who were using the service and three members of staff. People living at the home told us they liked the home and felt safe.

We made observations throughout the visit and saw people being offered choices as to what they wanted to eat and the activities they wished to participate in. People were supported to personalise their own rooms and to be as independent as possible.

We saw people being addressed in a respectful manner. We looked at people's individual support plans and observed that these were discussed with people who used the service and that these discussions were recorded.

Regular audits of the service were completed by the provider ensuring that people who used the service benefit from a service that monitors the quality of care that people received.

Staff told us that they had received training in protecting adults from abuse and that they felt that they were supported and trained to carry out their roles and meet the needs of people who used the service.

People told us that they were involved in the care and support they received and were happy with the care and support that they received.

People told us that they liked their own rooms and that they suited them and that they felt safe in the home.