New Fern

Updated 4 August 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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

One Inspector, a member of the CQC medicines team and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

New Fern 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service was small, and people were often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us. We carried out several visits and subsequent visits were unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We asked the registered manager to send us information relating to people's communication needs and asked the registered manager to gain consent from people and their relatives for us to visit or contact them. We sought feedback from health professionals who worked with the service. This information helped support our inspection and we used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We communicated with three people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. People who used the service who were unable to talk with us used different ways of communicating, including using Makaton, pictures, photos, symbols, objects and their body language.

We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, senior support staff, support workers and night support workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s support records and three medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with four professionals who regularly visited the service.

Updated 4 August 2022

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

New Fern is a residential care home providing personal care to people with a learning disability and autism. The service can support up to six people. At the time of our inspection there were three people living in the home.

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

Right Support

Staff focused on people’s strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life. The provider worked with people to plan for when they experienced periods of distress, so their freedoms were restricted only if there was no alternative. People were supported in a safe, clean environment which met their sensory and physical needs. The provider made reasonable adjustments for people to include them in discussions about how they received support. Staff supported people to take part in their hobbies and interests in the local area and to maintain contact with family and friends.

Right Care

Staff promoted equality and diversity when supporting people and understood people’s cultural and emotional needs. People received kind and compassionate support. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The provider had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. People who had individual ways of communicating, using body language, sounds, Makaton (a form of sign language), pictures and symbols could interact comfortably with staff and health professionals because staff had the necessary skills to understand and support them.

Right culture

People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and autism may have. Staff turnover was very low. This meant people received consistent support from staff who knew them well. Staff placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did. Managers evaluated the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate. Managers ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised, so people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity.

Medicines were managed safely, and infection prevention and control processes kept people safe. Staff worked with health professionals to support people’s health needs. People’s capacity to consent was assessed in line with legislation, and concerns about support were dealt with effectively. There was a clear vision of quality service provision and proactive support from external agencies to meet people’s needs.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 26 November 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess the provider was applying the principles of Right support right care right culture.

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.