The Fairways

Updated 19 June 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of the Care Quality Commission’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 29 April 2021 and was announced.

Updated 19 June 2021

This was an unannounced inspection that took place on 29 October 2018. The service was last inspected in May 2016 where there were no breaches in regulation seen and the home was rated as good. We found at this inspection that the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going 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.

The Fairways is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care home can accommodate up to fifty four people across two separate units, each of which have separate adapted facilities. There were forty seven people in residence when we visited. People living in the service are older adults some of whom may be living with dementia. The home does not provide nursing care.

The home had a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager who had a background in social care and in management. She also had a degree in the care of people living with dementia. 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.

The staff team understood how to protect vulnerable adults from harm and abuse. Staff had received suitable training and spoke to us about how they would identify any issues and report them appropriately. Risk assessments and risk management plans supported people well. Good arrangements were in place to ensure that new members of staff had been suitably vetted and that they were the right kind of people to work with vulnerable adults. Accidents or incidents management was of a good standard.

The registered manager kept staffing rosters under review as people's needs changed. We judged that the service employed enough care staff by day and night to meet people's needs. There were suitable numbers of ancillary staff employed in the home.

Staff were appropriately inducted, trained and developed to give the best support possible. We met team members who understood people's needs and who had suitable training and experience in their roles.

Medicines were suitably managed in the service with people having reviews of their medicines on a regular basis. The staff told us the new medication administration system had made medicines management more efficient.

People in the home saw their GP and health specialists whenever necessary. Staff took the advice of nurses and consultants. The staff team had good working relationships with local GP surgeries.

Good assessments of need were in place, and the staff team reviewed the delivery of care for effectiveness. They worked with health and social care professionals to ensure that assessment and review of support needed was suitable and up to date.

People told us they were satisfied with the food provided and we saw suitably prepared meals being served. Nutritional planning was in place and special diets catered for appropriately.

The Fairways is a modern building that was designed to provide support to people who may have issues with mobility.The provider had updated and refurbished the building to a high standard. It had suitable adaptations to ensure people were safe and had enough personal and shared space.The house was warm, clean and comfortable on the day we visited. Suitable equipment was available.

The staff team were aware of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. 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 who lived in the home told us that the staff were caring. We also observed kind and patient support being provided. Staff supported people in a respectful way. They made sure that confidentiality, privacy and dignity were maintained.

Risk assessments and care plans provided detailed guidance for staff in the home. People in the service were aware of their care plans and had influenced the content. The management team had ensured the plans reflected the person centred care that was being delivered.

Staff could access specialists if people needed communication tools like sign language or braille.

Staff encouraged people to follow their own interests and hobbies. We saw evidence of regular activities and entertainments in the home.

The service had a comprehensive quality monitoring system in place and people were asked their views in a number of different ways. Quality assurance was used to support future planning.

We had evidence to show that the registered manager and the directors of the company were able to deal with concerns or complaints appropriately.

Records were well organised, easy to access and stored securely. The staff team had taken on board the new IT records system and this was working effectively.