Fairwinds

We found the following examples of good practice.

The home had systems in place to support relatives to visit their family members, minimising the risk of infection. People were accessing the community safely.

We observed signage around the home to guide staff on the use of protective personal equipment (PPE).

COVID-19 tests for staff were being carried out in line with guidance. Staff also had regular lateral flow tests (LFT) to ensure any staff who were not presenting with any symptoms were identified promptly.

Risk assessments were in place to consider and reduce any impact to people who used the service and staff who may be disproportionately at risk of COVID-19. These included Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups (BAME), people with learning disabilities and people with dementia.

Fairwinds is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 24 people, living with mental health problems. The home is situated on the outskirts of Rotherham. At the time of our inspection there were 24 people using the service.

We found the following examples of good practice.

Staff were seen to be following the current government guidance in relation to the personal protective equipment (PPE) being used and staff engaged fully in the testing regime for COVID-19.

The service was clean. Additional checks were put in place to ensure there was always a supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) available in all key areas.

A dedicated staff team was in place to support people. Staff worked on shifts with the same staff to limit the potential spread of infection.

The provider was committed to supporting staff through supervisions and training to ensure they were comfortable with the work they were carrying out. Staff said they were well supported and felt the systems and processes in place kept them safe.

Enhanced training was being given to delegated leads in infection control to ensure they had the additional skills and knowledge needed to carry out extra checks, such as swabbing of frequently touched areas.

The provider was acting responsively to any requests to make improvements.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Fairwinds is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 23 people living with mental health problems, at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 24 people.

The service has two, 10 bedded units which are known as Darwin and Partridge Units. Both units provide personal and nursing care. The service also has two houses which support four people in becoming more independent. These are known as ‘OneCare.’

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received exceptionally good support which assisted them to build confidence to develop independent living skills. Staff were committed in ensuring people lived as full a life as possible and went the extra mile to achieve this. Staff had an excellent understanding of people's culturally diverse needs and understood values and beliefs that may influence their decisions on how they wished to receive care and support.

We observed staff interacting with people and found they were supportive, friendly and caring. The atmosphere throughout the home was exceptionally positive. Staff were exemplary at helping people achieve positive outcomes, building confidence and independence to better manage their mental health.

Staff were extremely dedicated in ensuring people consistently received a high standard of care in line with their needs and preferred choices. People we spoke with were complimentary about the staff and told us their privacy and dignity were maintained.

A range of activities and social stimulation was provided by a team of activity co-ordinators. Activities were innovative and met people’s needs. The provider had a complaints procedure which was available and accessible. The service had received no complaints but dealt with everyday issues as they arose. The service responded appropriately when people were in receipt of end of life care

People were safeguarded from the risks of abuse. Risks associated with people's care and support were managed effectively to ensure people were safe. Medicines were administered as prescribed and stored safely. There was enough staff available to ensure people's needs were met and their preferences adhered to. Lessons were learned when things went wrong. We completed a tour of the service with the acting manager and found it was clean and well maintained. Staff wore PPE to minimise the spread of infection.

People's needs were assessed, and care and support provided to meet their needs. Staff training was provided, and staff confirmed they received supervision sessions and annual appraisals. Staff felt supported by the management team. We spoke with the cook regarding people's dietary needs and found they were knowledgeable about people's preferences. Food served looked appetising and people told us they enjoyed meals at the home. Healthcare professionals were involved in people's care when required.

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; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The provider had a system in place to ensure the service was managed effectively. People who used the service, their relatives and staff were encouraged to feedback their opinions about the home and were part of the service development.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 26 June 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

At the last inspection in December 2014, the service was rated ‘Good’. This inspection took place on 23 May 2017 and was unannounced. This meant the provider did not know we were going to carry out this inspection. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’.

The home had 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 who used the service, their relatives and healthcare professionals felt the service was safe. People said they were happy living at the home and relatives and healthcare professionals said they felt people who lived at Fairwinds were kept safe.

People were protected from abuse. The home followed adequate and effective safeguarding procedures. Care records were personalised and contained relevant information to enable staff to provide person-centred care and support. People and their relatives had been involved in care and support planning.

Staff were supported well and received regular supervisions. Where required, staff were given regular training updates. The training matrix was well maintained.

We found good practice in relation to decision making processes at the service, in line with the Mental Capacity code of practice, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. 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 place supported this practice.

The home was responsive to people’s changing needs and ensured that referrals to healthcare professionals were made in a timely manner.

Activities took place at the home and were well received by people who used the service. Service user meetings enabled people to give their thoughts, opinions and suggestions on activities. People who used the service were actively encouraged and supported to access the wider community. Staff and people who used the service were regularly asked for their thoughts and opinions of the home. Suggestions for improvements were received well and actioned, where possible.

Regular quality monitoring systems were in place and audits were carried out frequently, both by the provider and external agencies. Where areas for improvement had been identified, these were addressed, resolved and signed off when complete.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. Where people did not have the capacity to make an informed decision a system was in place for appropriate people to be involved in making decisions in their best interest.

People's comments indicated they received the care and support they needed and they were happy with how staff supported them. We saw people were involved in a variety of social activities in the community and carried out day to day living skills, such as cleaning their rooms.

People had access to well-balanced menus which offered variety and choice. Staff promoted healthy eating and checked people were eating and drinking properly.

People were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment. We saw there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.

Background checks had been carried out on staff before they started to work at the home to make sure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people.

We saw the complaints procedure was available to people who used and visited the service. People told us they had no complaints but felt comfortable taking any concerns to staff.