Archived: Ferncross Retirement Home

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

At the last inspection in November 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

During the inspection visit we observed staff provided support for people in a sensitive and respectful way. People who lived at the home confirmed staff were kind and always helpful. One person who lived at the home said, “Very caring and cannot do enough for me.”

We found staff had been recruited safely. They also received ongoing training relevant to their role and supported by the registered manager to undertake training that would enhance their skills. One staff member said, “The training is very good and [registered manager] would support you to do any that would help the residents.”

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. Care records showed they were reviewed and any changes had been recorded.

We looked around the building and found it had been maintained, was clean and a safe place for people to live. We found equipment had been serviced and maintained as required.

Staff wore protective clothing such as gloves and aprons when needed. This reduced the risk of cross infection. We found supplies were available for staff to use when required.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People told us the standard of food at Ferncross was good. This was confirmed by comments we received that included, “It was lovely the meal and very tasty.”

We found during the inspection visit and observing interactions between staff and people who lived at the home, there was a culture on promoting dignity, respect and independence for people. People told us staff treated them as individuals and delivered person centred care. Care plans seen confirmed the service promoted people’s independence and involved them in delivering person centred care that suited each individual.

People who lived at the home told us they enjoyed a variety of activities. Also staff put on events such as parties and themed days. One person who lived at Ferncross said, “I enjoyed the Halloween party.”

People told us staff were caring towards them. Staff we spoke with understood the importance of high standards of care to give people meaningful lives.

There was a complaints procedure which was made available to people on their admission to the home and their relatives. People we spoke with told us they were happy and had no complaints.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included regular audits, staff meetings and daily discussions with people who lived at the home to seek their views about the service provided.

Although some residents had limited verbal communication due to a dementia condition, we did receive positive comments from people about the home. Residents we were able to speak with said, 'A lovely cosy home with people who only want to look after me.' Also, 'The staff are all polite to me.'

Staff told us training was in place and they were encouraged to attend national care courses. Most of the staff team had completed national care qualifications. Comments from staff included, 'A'. always encourages us to update training and develop our skills.' Also, 'With it being a small home attending training courses is not a problem for staff.'

Staff told us they felt supported, had regular meetings with the owner and their training was kept up to date.

We spent time in areas of the home, including the lounge and the dining areas. This helped us to observe the daily routines and gain an insight into how peoples care and support was being managed. Staff treated people with respect and ensured their privacy when supporting them.

Prior to our visit we contacted the Lancashire contracts monitoring team. They told us they currently had no concerns with the service being provided by the home following a recent visit.

We observed staff supporting people in a relaxed unhurried way. Staff talked with people and involved them in conversations. They encouraged people to carry out tasks or to be involved in tasks. We observed people being treated with respect and dignity and being given choices.

Routines in the home were flexible and people were encouraged to make their own decisions about their daily routine. Staff were polite and respectful and involved people in their care. One person said, 'The staff are kind and I like them.' Another person said, 'They look after us.' Relatives said they were pleased with the care provided to their family member.

Staff said there were a number of activities available but there was no set plan of activities. We observed people receiving hand massages and people said that they liked the activities. One person told us about a recent trip to the Blackpool illuminations which they had enjoyed.

We had concerns about staff recruitment and training which was not always up to date. This meant that staff did not always have the skills and knowledge they needed. There was no system of quality monitoring, so the registered manager was not always fully updated about the home.