Fern Leaf Carehome Limited

Updated 31 March 2022

The inspection

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 this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Fern Leaf Carehome (38 Bedford Road) is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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'. They and the registered provider have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we already held about the service. This included the last inspection report and notifications. A notification is information about important events, which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection.

During the inspection, we spoke with two people who lived in the home, the registered manager, the director, who was the provider of the service and two support staff. We reviewed documents and records that related to people’s care and the management of the service. We reviewed four care plans, which included risk assessments. We looked at other documents such as medicine management, infection control records and other records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with one relative for their feedback about the home.

Updated 31 March 2022

About the service

Fern Leaf Carehome (38 Bedford Road) is a care home registered to accommodate and support up to five people with mental health needs, learning disabilities and/or autism. At the time of the inspection, five people were living at the home. The home has three floors with separate adapted facilities and ensuite rooms.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, Right care, Right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: People had control of how their care and support was arranged. People were supported to integrate into the local community and be as independent as possible.

Right care: Staff ensured people's dignity, privacy and human rights were respected. People received care and support that was personalised for their needs.

Right culture: The values and attitudes of staff and managers in the home enabled people to be as independent as possible and feel empowered in their daily lives.

People told us they felt safe in the home. Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. Risks to people’s health were assessed so staff could support them safely. Medicines were administered safely to people. However, we made a recommendation for the temperature of the storage room to be monitored because the medicine cabinet could be exposed to strong sunlight which could affect the quality of medicines.

The provider recruited staff appropriately and checked they were suitable to work with people. There were enough staff working in the home to support people. Systems were in place to prevent and control infections, such as COVID-19. Lessons were learned following accidents and incidents in the home.

Staff were trained to carry out their roles and received an induction upon their employment. Staff felt supported in their roles. People were encouraged to maintain a balanced diet and their nutritional needs were monitored. They attended health appointments with professionals to help they remain in good health.

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.

People and staff got to know each other well. Care plans were person-centred so people could receive care that met their needs and preferences. Their future end of life wishes were discussed with them. People pursued their interests and were supported to avoid social isolation. Systems were in place to manage complaints. People’s communication needs were met. Feedback was sought from people to help make continuous improvements to the home.

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

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection, the service was inspected but not rated (report published 20 October 2020) because we carried out a targeted inspection that looked at specific areas.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on a review of information we held about the service and because the service was unrated.

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.