3 August 2017
During a routine inspection
Fairview Court Extra Care Housing Scheme provides personal care to people who are tenants in Fairview Court, an extra care housing scheme. The personal care is provided by an on-site domiciliary care team managed by Mears Care Ltd (Mears) and is offered across the day and at night. At the time of the inspection 21 people were receiving care ranging from a few hours a week up to several hours per day.
A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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.
We found the service had established effective systems to protect people from abuse and respond to any safeguarding concerns. Risks to personal safety had been assessed and measures were in place to prevent people from being harmed.
The feedback we received from people using the service and their relatives was excellent. People told us they were very satisfied with the standards of care and support they received. They described how they enjoyed good working relationships with care staff and they were treated with dignity and respect. People received person centred care in line with their individual needs and preferences. There was a clear commitment to support people in a way that promoted their independence.
People were supported by well-trained staff that were able to meet people’s needs safely. The service had robust systems to ensure that there were sufficient numbers of staff employed to meet people’s assessed needs. A family member of a person in receipt of the service told us, "I have no concerns. It’s been a relief to find them." Another relative told us, "I have complete faith that they are safe and well cared for. The model of care works brilliant, having on-site care is very reassuring.”
Staff were appropriately and robustly recruited to check their suitability. There was sufficient staffing capacity to ensure people received safe, consistent care. The staff were well supported in their roles and provided with training that equipped them in meeting people’s needs.
Good support was given to people to maintain their health and, where needed, to meet their dietary requirements. Suitable arrangements were made to safely assist people in taking their prescribed medicines.
People’s rights were protected and staff obtained people’s consent before providing care. The registered manager understood their responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). 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.
There was clear complaints procedure that people were confident of using if they were ever unhappy with the service. People made decisions about their care and had access to a range of information about what they could expect from using the service.
People and their families told us the staff were very caring, compassionate and respectful of their privacy and dignity. They greatly appreciated the personalised care provided and the supportive relationships which had been formed.
Care planning was focused on the well-being of the individual, how they preferred to be supported and the outcomes they wished to achieve. Good links had been developed with the local community and activities were arranged to encourage people to socialise and help avoid isolation.
The registered manager and provider demonstrated a very good understanding of the importance of effective quality assurance systems in promoting a high quality of service. Innovative systems were used to monitor the service given and to offer support to staff, such as Iphone technology and the appropriate use of secure social networking sites for staff forums.
The registered manager promoted an open, inclusive culture and provided leadership to the staff team. The service had high expectations of staff and gave them as much support and training needed to provide a reliable, efficient and compassionate service to people. Staff were proud to work for the organisation.