Fernleigh House

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last comprehensive assessment, we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 85 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

We observed staff interacting with people in a caring and gentle way and people told us staff were respectful. One person said of the staff, “I like some more than others but they’re all nice to me, they help me and I trust them all.” A relative told us they found staff to be caring and their approach was consistently kind. They said, “Their care makes a world of difference.” A further relative said a staff member, “Consistently demonstrates kindness, patience and genuine commitment.”

Staff protected people’s dignity by enabling privacy. Staff knocked and waited before entering bedrooms and conversations about people’s needs were held in a private environment, so their confidentiality was maintained. We noted a visual monitor was used to protect a person’s well-being and health, staff ensured access to this was restricted so privacy was maintained.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People’s cultural and personal needs were recognised and supported by staff. We observed staff communicating in people’s individual communication styles and people were able to personalise their rooms with items that held value for them and reflected their individuality and personalities.

Care records contained information that supported people’s individuality. This enabled staff to understand people’s hopes, wishes and needs and deliver care and support to meet these.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were exceptionally well supported to maintain and develop relationships with those who were important to them. Staff recognised the value of family connections and worked proactively to ensure people remained in regular contact with their loved ones. One family member told us they received photographs and updates about their relative's life and always felt welcomed when visiting. They described seeing a video of their family member opening birthday gifts and said, “It was incredible.” The commitment of the provider and staff to support relationships helped relatives remain actively involved and strengthened family relationships.

The service placed a strong emphasis on supporting people to pursue their interests, achieve personal goals and make meaningful choices about how they spent their time. People had personalised activity plans that reflected their preferences and aspirations. One person spoke proudly about singing at a conference and raising £400 for charity through a karaoke event. They told us, "I was so nervous, but I felt great when I'd done it. I loved it." They were also involved in reviewing policies and processes to help ensure they were accessible for people with differing communication needs. They said, “I love it! I look forward to going and I’m listened to.” A relative shared their happiness at the way their family member was supported to achieve their goals. They said, “Seeing the progress he has made gave me enormous reassurance that he is receiving care which is centred around his individual needs and promotes his wellbeing and independence.”

People were supported to engage and contribute to the local community if this was their wish. For example, people were involved in fundraising events. People and staff had completed a sponsored walk and contributed to a national charity. This demonstrated how people were encouraged to build confidence, develop their independence and make valued contributions to their community.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff respondedto people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff knew people well and were attentive to their individual needs. They discreetly observed people and provided reassurance and support at the right time, helping people to feel comfortable and understood while maintaining their dignity and independence.

Staff were skilled at recognising non-verbal signs that a person may be experiencing discomfort or pain. For example, staff noticed a change in one person's behaviour and responded promptly to explore possible underlying causes. This led to the person receiving necessary dental treatment, which relieved their pain and resulted in a positive improvement in their wellbeing.

During our visit, we observed staff responding quickly and compassionately when people required support, ensuring their needs were met without delay.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider was committed to supporting staff health and welfare through inclusivity, active listening, and open conversations. This enabled staff to do their job well and to be well. This meant that peoples experience of the service was driven by a culture that normalises good wellbeing.

Two staff at the service had attended training to become a mental health first aider. This meant they could be approached by staff for support and signposting to organisations and resources that may help them. Staff told us this could be helpful if they were experiencing mental health challenges. In addition, the provider had enabled staff to access an employee assistance programme to support their wellbeing. This demonstrated the provider was committed to supporting staff wellbeing.

A staff member shared how they had been supported by the provider and staff during a personal bereavement. They shared how they had been able to return to work and said, “Without them, I wouldn’t have got through it.” This demonstrated the caring and kind culture promoted at Fernleigh House.

Staff consistently told us they felt the registered manager was approachable and listened to them. One staff member said they had regular meetings with the registered manager and could approach them if they wanted clarity or support. They said, “I can’t fault [registered manager], she’s always there and always interested and wanting to help.”

The registered manager fully considered staff wellbeing. This was discussed at regular individual meetings with staff to identify if any changes were needed to support this.