We carried out a review of the data available to us about Ferrars Hall Care Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Ferrars Hall Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
Ferrars Hall Care Home is a purpose-built residential care home providing accommodation and personal care and support to up to 66 older people and people with dementia. The service is over three floors and has various facilities available including shared lounges and dining areas, a hair salon, cinema room, coffee shop and shared garden. At the time of our inspection there were 61 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Staff understood the importance of safeguarding people wherever possible from poor care and harm. When staff had any concerns about people, they knew where to escalate and report these concerns. Staff supported people to receive their medicines as prescribed. Staff were trained on, and aware of, infection prevention guidance and good practice. Staff encouraged people to eat healthily and drink enough.
Staff were kind, caring and knew people’s individual needs, wishes and preferences. Staff monitored people’s known risks. Complaints were investigated and resolved wherever possible and actions were taken to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Staff gave people privacy and treated them with dignity and respect when supporting them and helped promote people's independence. Staff involved people and their relatives, when reviewing people’s care and support needs. Care plans were reviewed by staff and updated when changes occurred.
Enough skilled and suitable staff had been safely recruited. Staff had received the required training, spot checks and ongoing support. This helped staff maintain and improve their skills to fulfil their role and responsibilities.
Activities co-ordinators had been recruited to help ensure people spent their time meaningfully occupied, should they wish to take part in activities.
Monitoring and oversight of the service provided was effective in identifying and driving improvements. The registered manager gave examples of how the provider shared learning amongst its services when incidents had occurred. The registered manager and the staff team took on board learning when things went wrong. Audits were undertaken and there was analysis of risk, incidents, accidents, near misses that helped identify any areas or people that required further monitoring and action. The area manager undertook monitoring visits of the service that looked at all areas of how it was run and what was happening within the service.
The registered manager and staff team worked with other organisations, and health and social care professionals, to provide people with joined up care.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 22 July 2021 and this is the first inspection under the new provider. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 25 November 2019.
Why we inspected
This inspection was based on the service being unrated since the new provider reregistered with the CQC. The inspection was also prompted in part due to concerns received about staffing levels. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
We found the following examples of good practice.
Family and friends could visit people who lived at the service in line with current guidance. If family and friends wanted to visit the service, and it wasn’t an emergency visit nor were they an essential care giver, they would need to have completed a rapid COVID-19 test, prior to visiting and had their temperature checked. These visits were appointment only. Visits took place in the garden, at a window, if the person they were visiting was housed on the ground floor, or in a room allocated for visits that had a screen to reduce the risk of cross contamination. There were gaps between visits to reduce the risk of people encountering other visitors, staff or other people from the home. Visitors were also required to wear the supplied PPE (personal protective equipment).
External health and social care professional visitors had to show their vaccination status and complete a rapid COVID-19 test before visiting and had their temperature checked. They also had to wear the correct PPE before entering.
Staff supported people to use computer tablets and phones to video call and/or communicate with family and friends. This promoted people’s social well-being.
Staff and people at the home were taking part in whole home COVID-19 testing. Staff were tested for COVID-19 once a week and had rapid COVID-19 tests daily. Staff had their temperature checked when they started their shift and again during their shift if they felt unwell.
Staff were observed to be wearing their PPE correctly including face masks. Staff were bare below the elbow and were wearing a minimum amount of jewellery with long hair tied up that promoted good infection control.
Housekeeping staff cleaned throughout the home regularly. This was to promote and maintain good infection control practices.
The registered manager told us they and their staff had been really supported throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by the provider and the providers infection control lead.