Fern Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs. This is the first inspection of this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 68 (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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. However, they did not always show how they had worked in partnership with people, to decide how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. We received mixed feedback about how involved family members were in care planning processes. A relative told us, “I’m involved, they (Fern Lodge) keep me informed of anything going on. Can’t fault it. Yes, I go to reviews once a year.” However, other relatives said, “No review of care plan with us as yet” and “It would be good at the annual review for them to give us a copy (of the care plan) and if there are small changes it would be good so we know what they’re doing with [person]. This could be due to [Fern Lodge] running on an interim manager.” We found some care records required a review and to be updated, and this was completed during the inspection. The provider also confirmed they had invested in a new electronic care planning system, which would be introduced shortly, and would support consistency.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. When there was a gap in someone’s care, or they required more support, staff identified this and took action. This included where people may be eligible to receive more care or support.A professional told us, “My impression is that the service has worked well with us to implement the recommendations that we make. I do not feel that I am in a position to comment on increasing need, however the service does contact us when there is a significant change.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People had individualised communication plans which set out how they expressed themselves, and how staff should approach interactions positively. For example, 1 person’s plan stated, ‘[Person] responds well to gentle touch. Staff to be patient. Make eye contact. Give [person] your full attention when communicating.’ Information was also available in different formats to ensure it was clear and accessible, such as Easy Read documents.

People felt able to raise issues or complain about their care, treatment and support. We received some mixed feedback as to whether issues were always resolved in the past. However, there was positive feedback about responses in recent times. A person’s relative told us, “I am comfortable to raise concerns with management, either by e-mail or phone call and these concerns are generally responded to quickly and usually satisfactorily.” A complaints policy was in place, including an Easy Read version. More work was required to proactively show how people were involved in giving feedback on the service if less able to communicate verbally with words.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Staff understood the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability and worked hard to ensure that typical barriers faced by people were removed or mitigated against.For example, we saw people had hospital passports in place which set out reasonable adjustments they might need to access health care services. This included requirements such as longer appointments, quiet waiting areas, and to be seen as soon as possible on arrival.

Staff and leaders listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. Staff understood the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability and worked hard to ensure that typical barriers faced by people were removed or mitigated against. This included understanding and respecting people’s routines. A relative said, “I think regular routine with autism is important, [Fern Lodge] has got that under control. Perhaps a visual programme about what [person] is doing during the week, I’ve not seen one, or been spoken to about it.”

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. A relative said, “They’ve got the forms and all in place at Fern Lodge, [staff] have got all the information.” A professional who worked with the service told us, “[Support] included liaising with the GP with Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) in place and respecting this decision and regularly reviewing.” Whilst information was in place, this could benefit from additional planning measures such as how to provide emotional support for people in the case of bereavement.