We carried out this unannounced inspection on 30 and 31 March 2017. Ashley Lodge provides care for up to 26 older people some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 25 people were living at the home. At our last inspection in October 2015 we found the service was rated ‘Good’ overall.

The service has a registered manager who was present throughout the inspection. 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 told us they thought the home was safe. Staff knew about possible signs of abuse and described action they would take to ensure people’ safety. People had the risks associated with their care well managed and staff understood how to minimise people’s risks in their care.

People received their medicines safely although we identified there was a need to improve the accuracy of some medicine records. We saw people receiving their medicines in a dignified manner.

The majority of people we spoke with told us that there were sufficient staff available to respond to their support needs.

Staff had received training to enable them to understand and meet people’s individual needs. Staff informed us they felt supported.

People living at the home benefited from good healthcare and the service was quick to respond to any changes in healthcare needs. People received food and drink that was based on their preferences.

Although people were offered choices in their daily care we found that the service had not supported people consistently under the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

Staff supported people who were living with dementia with confidence and ease. We found that there was a need to improve the availability of orientation and communication aids for people living with dementia.

People told us they felt cared for by staff whom they had built up good relationships with. People had the opportunity to state how they would prefer to be supported. People living at the home were able to review their care.

People had access to activities which were planned.

People felt able to raise any concerns or complaints and reported they were confident these would be dealt with appropriately.

People and their relatives provided positive feedback about how the service was managed. Quality monitoring systems were in place although some were not entirely effective. People living at the home had been given the opportunity to feedback their experiences of living at the home in order to drive improvement within the service.

On the day of our unannounced visit 24 people were living at this care home. We subsequently spoke to ten people who lived there, five of the friends and relatives and four members of care staff.

People were complimentary about the care staff who supported them and their living environment. Comments included, “The food is good, we are all well looked after” and “This place is always spotless and the staff are wonderful.”

We examined care plans and found that people’s needs were properly assessed and that care and support was planned and delivered in line with their individual care plans. From our observations it was apparent that care staff were attentive, polite and sought consent before providing care and support.

We examined staff training and recruitment records and spoke to care staff. We found that people who lived at this care home were safe and their health and welfare needs were being met by care staff who were fit, appropriately qualified and competent.

We observed care staff administer medication and examined records. This revealed that people were adequately protected against the risks associated with medicines because staff were competent and there were appropriate arrangements and policies in place.

We found that care was provided in an environment that was safe, accessible and suitably designed and adequately maintained.

We concluded that Ashley Lodge was a comfortable, well maintained care home which was safe, caring and well led.

There were 25 people using the service at the time of our inspection. We spoke with six of these people, the staff that were supporting them and three relatives.

People told us that they were happy with how their care and support needs were being met. They told us that staff were available at the times they needed them and that they supported them in a respectful manner. Comments included: “The staff are all good at their job and they are very thoughtful,” and “If I am feeling ill, staff get the doctor to come out and see me.”

People told us about the quality and choice of food and drink available. They told us that they were satisfied about the choice and quality of meals and that food and drink was readily available to them. A person using the service told us “There is a choice of food, it’s good.”

People told us that they felt safe living at the home and that they would speak to the staff if they had any concerns. A person using the service told us “If I had anything to complain about I’m sure the staff would do something about it.”

During our inspection, we asked local authority staff involved in monitoring the home about the quality of service provided. We had not received any feedback from them at the time of writing this report.

As part of our review, we spoke with the local authority who pay for a number of people to live at the home. They told us that they did not have any concerns about the home.

People told us that they were happy living at the home and that their care needs were being met. They told us that they received care and support in the way they preferred and in a respectful and timely manner. People told us that they were supported by care workers who had a good understanding of their care and support needs. People told us “The staff are all very kind and thoughtful. They are always very polite”, “I love it here, I really do. I am so well looked after” and “the staff come and give me my medication on time”. One person’s relative who was visiting told us “There are plenty of staff around when we visit and we are made to feel welcome”.

People told us that they were happy with the meals provided at the home. People told us “The food is perfect and there are always plenty of drinks” and “the food is very good, we have a choice”.

People told us that they are encouraged to pursue any hobbies or interests that they may have. People told us that they are supported to maintain relationships that are important to them. People told us “A lady came yesterday to entertain us. We had music and played bingo. She was very good” and “they took us to the botanical garden, that was very nice”.

People told us that they were happy with the cleanliness of the home. One person that lived at the home told us “It is always nice and clean and warm here”.

People told us that they felt confident to raise any concerns that they may have about the service and that actions are taken in response to these. One person’s relative who was visiting told us “If I had any concerns I’d speak to one of the senior staff or the manager but I don’t have any concerns”.

We carried out this unannounced inspection on 30 and 31 March 2017. Ashley Lodge provides care for up to 26 older people some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 25 people were living at the home. At our last inspection in October 2015 we found the service was rated ‘Good’ overall.

The service has a registered manager who was present throughout the inspection. 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 told us they thought the home was safe. Staff knew about possible signs of abuse and described action they would take to ensure people’ safety. People had the risks associated with their care well managed and staff understood how to minimise people’s risks in their care.

People received their medicines safely although we identified there was a need to improve the accuracy of some medicine records. We saw people receiving their medicines in a dignified manner.

The majority of people we spoke with told us that there were sufficient staff available to respond to their support needs.

Staff had received training to enable them to understand and meet people’s individual needs. Staff informed us they felt supported.

People living at the home benefited from good healthcare and the service was quick to respond to any changes in healthcare needs. People received food and drink that was based on their preferences.

Although people were offered choices in their daily care we found that the service had not supported people consistently under the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

Staff supported people who were living with dementia with confidence and ease. We found that there was a need to improve the availability of orientation and communication aids for people living with dementia.

People told us they felt cared for by staff whom they had built up good relationships with. People had the opportunity to state how they would prefer to be supported. People living at the home were able to review their care.

People had access to activities which were planned.

People felt able to raise any concerns or complaints and reported they were confident these would be dealt with appropriately.

People and their relatives provided positive feedback about how the service was managed. Quality monitoring systems were in place although some were not entirely effective. People living at the home had been given the opportunity to feedback their experiences of living at the home in order to drive improvement within the service.