Frith House

Updated 3 July 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’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 the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 17 May 2021 and was announced.

Updated 3 July 2021

Frith House is a residential care home for 83 people. The home specialises in the care of older people including people who have a dementia. The home is divided into two parts. The residential part of the home is able to accommodate up to 53 people. The area of the home which cares for people living with dementia is part of the Somerset Specialist Residential Care (SRC) scheme. This means people living in this part of the home are supported by a specialist NHS community nurse on consultancy basis.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection the service had improved to Outstanding.

Why the service is rated outstanding

People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. One person said “I am safe here because I get good care, and staff are on the ball, they know what to do and take action when necessary.” A visiting community specialist dementia nurse told us, “Staff members are very good at raising safeguard alerts, they are able to make their own decisions and they are always appropriate”.

There were sufficient staff on duty and recruitment procedures were safe. People received their medicines as prescribed and infection control practice reduced associated risks to people.

People and their relatives told us they felt that the care received was effective. Care was delivered by staff who had received appropriate training to undertake their role. Staff were also supported through appraisal and supervision. The service had appropriate systems to monitor the applications and authorisations for people being lawfully deprived of their liberty. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts and external healthcare professionals were consulted when needed.

People and their relatives said the service was caring and compliments had been received to reflect this. Staff were observed being caring and supportive towards people and knew the needs of the people they cared for. People were supported to have a dignified death in accordance with their wishes. People and relatives told us staff went above and beyond what they expected of them.

The service ensured they were responsive through a comprehensive pre-admission procedure. People and their relatives were involved in care reviews and care records were personalised. People were supported with their hobbies and interests and the service gave examples of how they had gone the “Extra mile” to improve the quality of some people’s lives. There was a system to ensure complaints would be listened to.

People, their relatives and staff commented positively on the leadership of the service. There were systems to seek the views of people and staff, and additional systems that ensured key messages were communicated. There were governance systems to monitor the health, safety and welfare of people.

The registered manager was passionate about improving the experiences for people living with dementia. She belonged to a number of steering groups to look at innovative ways of ensuring people experienced positive outcomes.

The home had been involved in research with Exeter University. Called “Calmer by Nature.” This involved playing nature DVD’s of rabbits, water running, wind in the meadows, at times of the day when people living with dementia may be unsettled. This meant they were leading the drive to improvement within the organisation.

The registered manager told us they aimed to create a, “homely, comfortable atmosphere. A place where people can do what they want, when they want and we work for them.” Throughout the inspection we saw the registered manager’s vision being put into practice by all staff in the home. Staff waited for people patiently and people were supported to be as independent as possible.

Further information is in the detailed findings below