Ashlyns care home provides personal care for up to fifty-eight older people and or people who live with Dementia. It does not provide nursing care. At the time of our inspection 54 people were accommodated at the home.

At the last inspection the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People and their relatives told us that they felt people were safe living at Ashlyns. Staff had received training and knew how to keep people safe from harm or abuse. Risks to people were appropriately assessed and measures put in place to help ensure people were kept safe.

The provider operated a robust recruitment process which helped to ensure that staff employed to provide care and support were fit to do so. There were sufficient numbers of staff available, who were well supported and trained to meet individual needs and the service provided was flexible.

Staff sought people's consent to care. The registered manager and staff were aware of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People were assisted to eat and drink sufficient amounts to keep healthy and were supported to access healthcare professionals when required.

People were treated in a kind and caring way by staff who respected their privacy and maintained their dignity. People and family where appropriate were involved in the review and development of peoples care and support plans. People were asked for their views on how the service operated and their views were acted upon.

People received personalised care that met their individual needs. People were encouraged and supported to participate in activities that were of interest to them and to engage in hobbies both at the service and also events that were arranged in the community.

People and their relatives told us they knew how to raise concerns through the complaints process. They said they were confident they would be listened to and that any concerns raised would be appropriately investigated and resolved.

We found that records were well maintained through an online system and provided staff with detailed information about how to support people.

The registered manager had systems in place to obtain feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, and staff to help improve the service people received.

There was an open, transparent and inclusive culture at the service. People who used the service, their relatives, staff and commissioners all gave positive feedback about the service and how it was managed and operated.

The registered manager had a range of systems and processes in place to monitor the quality of care provided at the service and to make continual improvements.

The environment was well maintained and people’s bedrooms were personalised. The décor was appropriate, in particular for people who lived with Dementia. There was plenty of objects available for people to ‘engage’ with.

Further information is in the details below.

This inspection took place on 19 November 2015 and was unannounced. The home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 58 older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. On the day of the inspection, there were 54 people living in the home.

The service has a registered manager. 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 were safe and there were systems in place to safeguard people from the possible risk of harm. There were risk assessments that gave guidance to staff on how risks to people could be minimised. Risks to each person had been assessed and managed appropriately.

The service followed safe recruitment procedures and there were sufficient numbers of suitable staff to keep people safe and meet their needs. There were safe systems for the management of people’s medicines and they received their medicines regularly and on time.

People were supported by staff who were trained, skilled and knowledgeable on how to meet their individual needs. Staff received supervision and support, and were competent in their roles.

Staff were aware of how to support people who lacked the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves and had received training in Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People’s nutritional needs were met and they were supported to have enough to eat and drink. They were also supported to access other health and social care services when required.

People were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity was promoted. People were involved in decisions about their care and support they received.

People had their care needs assessed, reviewed and delivered in a way that mattered to them. They were supported to pursue their social interests and hobbies and to participate in activities provided at the home. There was an effective complaints procedure in place.

There were systems in place to seek the views of people, their relatives and other stakeholders. Regular checks and audits relating to the quality of service delivery were carried out. There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service.

During our inspection we set out to answer our five questions; is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, discussions with people using the service, their relatives, the staff supporting them and looking at records.

We found that the home was meeting all areas.

If you wish to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

You can see our judgements on the front page of this report.

Is the service caring?

We found that the people were cared for in relaxed, comfortable well planned environment by caring staff. We observed care and saw that there were sufficient trained staff on duty to spend time with the people. We saw affection between the staff and the people. There was a homely atmosphere, with the people at the centre of all activities.

Is the service responsive?

We were told by the people who lived in the home that “the staff are wonderful, kind and caring”. We saw that staff were vigilant at all times and were ready to respond to the wishes and needs of the people. People who chose to stay in their rooms had regular visits from staff. Some of the people liked to have an afternoon walk or to sit in the garden when the weather was nice. We were told that calls for assistance were responded to in a timely manner.

Is the service safe?

We saw that there were sufficiently appropriately recruited staff to meet the needs and wishes of the people. We saw that staff were aware of risk management and the balance between promoting independence and keeping people safe and that the premises was secure. Staff had been trained to recognise and respond to signs and allegations of abuse. We saw that great care had been taken to ensure people had free safe access to fresh air when they choose.

Is the service effective?

We looked at the care plans of four people and found that people had been involved in establishing what care they needed and how they wanted it delivered. We saw that care plans gave detailed directions to staff to ensure the care they gave was effective. We saw that where a deterioration in the person’s health had been identified by staff, the person had been referred to the appropriate health care professional. This included people with mental health issues. People who had long periods of inaction were protected from the risk of pressure areas. A recent survey showed that all the people who responded were either very happy or happy with all aspects of the quality of the care provided by the home.

Is the service well led?

The home was managed in the best interests of the people who live there. Staff told us that the manager was available to them should they need assistance. The manager supervised the staff while they were delivering care and if there were issues they were addressed. Staff were well trained in all aspects of care delivery. The people told us that the manager was always there should they need anything they “Only have to ask and it’s done”. The manager was proactive in ensuring people in the home who were living with dementia had optimum care and were stimulated and comforted by the staff who cared for them.

Staff were supported in a relaxed manner and had time to spend with the manager so that they could raise issues that may impact on how they cared for people.

During our visit to the home the people we spoke to told us that they were well cared for in a very safe environment. One person told us that we were ‘wasting our time’ in the home as it was wonderful and they were well cared for. Others said that the staff were great, friendly, kind and would do anything for you and that they were glad to be in the home.

All of the people who live in the home told us that that they were listened to and that they could discuss any issues with a member of staff or the manager. People told us that they had confidence that their problem would be addressed and if at all possible resolved. We were told by one person that there was beauty in the home and the gardens and that this was important particularly for those people who do not get out much.

We attended a residents’ meeting, where we saw that the people discussed subjects that were important to them. We saw that the people spoke freely and we saw that they were listened to and some issues resolved immediately, others needed to be discussed with the manager.

We found the people to be well cared for and that they were living in an environment that was both safe and stimulating. We saw that people were cared for by well trained and caring staff. We found the home to be well managed and that the care of the people and the running of the home was regularly reviewed and any issues resolved.

The people who live at Ashlyns residential home told us that they were well looked after and that the staff were caring and kind. They told us that the home was lovely and that they really enjoyed using the gardens. They said that the food was first class and that there was always something nice on the menu. One person said that sometimes the food was too ‘fancy’ but that the staff would get them something different if they didn’t like what was on offer.

We were told that the manger was easy to talk to and that they would go to her if they had any problems or complaints. Relatives told us that issues got resolved quickly and that they never had to make a formal complaint. The people said that they felt safe and protected at all times. Some people told us that they like when the dog came to visit the home and that they saved a biscuit to feed it.

The relatives we spoke with told us that when they leave their relative following a visit they walk away happy knowing that their relative was in good hands and that they did not have to worry about their care. They said that it took them a very ling time to decide on a home and chose Ashlyns after a long search. They said that their relative was always well groomed and that while their relative was unable to express themselves they showed signs of enjoying their life in the home. We were told that the home was always fresh and clean and that the gardens were a pleasure to behold, and they were always well tended and maintained.

During our visit on 29 December 2011, people we spoke with were all complimentary about the care and service provided. A person remarked, “Excellent service. I can come and go as I like. Staff are very good.” This was echoed by another person who commented, “Staff are wonderful. Perfectly happy to be here. Wonderful service.” Another person said, “I am quite happy here. It’s quite comfortable. There is privacy.”

When asked about choices and activities, a person commented, “The service is very good. There are lots of choices, we get different dishes on the menu; different activities, like bingo and quizzes and trips out.” Another person said, “There are activities like quizzes and exercises. We visit the garden centre and go shopping once a week. Staff take us in the minibus.” A person commented, “ We go shopping once a week. The staff take six of us in the minibus. Sometimes we have pub lunch. We get a choice of menu daily, it’s quite good.”

A relative we spoke with commented, ““The place has a nice feel to it; it’s homely. So far so good.”