Archived: Fessey House

Updated 29 July 2015

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 1 and 2 July 2015 and was unannounced. One inspector carried out this inspection. During our last inspection in September 2013 we found the provider satisfied the legal requirements in the areas that we looked at.

Before we visited we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications we had received. Services tell us about important events relating to the care they provide using a notification. We reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who use the service. This included talking with seven people and five relatives about their views on the quality of the care and support being provided. We looked at documents that related to people’s care and support and the management of the service. We reviewed a range of records which included four care and support plans, staff training records, staff duty rosters, staff personnel files, policies and procedures and quality monitoring documents. We looked around the premises and observed care practices throughout the day.

During our inspection we observed how staff supported and interacted with people who use the service. We spoke with the registered manager, the team leader, seven care workers, housekeeping staff, the catering manager and the second chef. We also spoke with two visiting health professionals. Before the inspection we contacted health and social care professionals the home worked alongside and received responses to our questions from six people.

Updated 29 July 2015

Fessey House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 39 older people. At the time of our inspection there were 37 people living there. The bedrooms are arranged over two floors and divided into four units. Two of the units provide long-term care and support to people living with dementia. The other two are discharge to assess units and offer short term care and support. People on these units are there for a period of assessment to either assist them to move back to their own homes with some rehabilitation or support them to move to more suitable accommodation. There are communal lounges and a dining area on each floor with a central kitchen and laundry. The home is part of SEQOL, a social enterprise which is a business with a social purpose to provide quality care and support to adults living in Swindon and the surrounding areas.

The inspection took place on 1 and 2 July 2015. This was an unannounced inspection. During our last inspection in September 2013 we found the provider satisfied the legal requirements in the areas that we looked at.

A registered manager was employed by the service. 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 looked at four care plans and found that some guidance did not always identify how care and support should be provided. This meant that people were at risk of not receiving the care and support they needed.

People told us they felt safe living at Fessey House and they were well looked after. Systems were in place to protect people from abuse. Staff knew how to identify if people were at risk of abuse and what actions they needed to take to ensure people were protected.

Care staff we spoke with demonstrated a good understanding of people’s care needs, important people and significant events in their lives. Staff were also knowledgeable of people’s daily routines and preferences.

People were supported to eat a balanced diet. There were arrangements for people to access specialist diets where required. There were snacks and drinks available throughout the day during our inspection.

Staff managed medicines safely and ensured people received their medicines as prescribed.

There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. Staff we spoke with were clear about their responsibility in regard to infection control.

Staff said they felt confident to raise any concerns with the management team and would feel supported and their concerns listened to and acted upon. There was a positive open culture between management and staff.

Health and social care professionals spoke positively about the care and support people received and praised the management team.