FERN

Updated 20 May 2021

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. It provides a service to older adults and younger adults with physical disabilities.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that 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

The inspection was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service. We wanted to be sure that someone would be in the office to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

On this occasion we did not ask the provider to send us 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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included events the provider must notify us about, such as incidents and abuse. We used this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We reviewed a range of records. This included three staff recruitment files and training records. We looked at records relating to the management of the service including policies and procedures, and quality assurance processes developed and implemented by the provider. We reviewed three people’s care records. We spoke with five members of staff, including the registered manager, an administrator and care staff. During our inspection we spoke with three relatives over the telephone.

Updated 20 May 2021

About the service

FERN is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. On the day of the inspection the service was supporting seven people with a range of health and social care needs, such as people with a physical disability, sensory impairment or people living with dementia. Support was tailored according to people’s assessed needs within the context of people’s individual preferences and lifestyles to help people to live and maintain independent lives and remain in their homes. Not everyone using FERN receives the regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service

People were happy with the care they received and felt relaxed with staff, they told us they were treated with kindness. People said they felt safe, were well supported and there were sufficient staff to care for them. A relative told us, “They wear all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and I am happy. We feel safe when they come in.”

People’s independence was promoted, and their needs were met. People felt they were offered choice in the way their care was delivered, and they had no concerns around their dignity and privacy in their own homes. A relative told us, “We are happy with the service.” People had a regular team of care staff who arrived on time and knew them well. Another relative added, “They are always on time and they are all very nice, friendly and polite.”

Staff had received essential training and feedback from people indicated that they knew the best way to care for people in line with their needs and preferences. 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.

The provider had systems of quality assurance to measure and monitor the standard of the service and drive improvement. These systems also supported people to stay safe by assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring that people were cared for in a person-centred way and that the provider learned from any mistakes.

People told us they thought the service was well managed and they received high quality care that met their needs and improved their wellbeing from dedicated and enthusiastic staff. A relative told us, “The office rings and checks we are ok and happy with the care.”

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 April 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was the first inspection for this service.

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.