Fernbank

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 assessment under a previous provider we rated this key question good. This is the first assessment for this service under its new provider. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. During our visit we observed warm and meaningful interactions between people and staff. People were supported by staff who were considerate and patient.

People told us they were happy living at the service and staff were good to them. One person told us, “The staff can’t do enough for you.” A relative told us, “The staff are caring, kind and patient.”

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.

Staff knew people well and used this knowledge to build relationships with them and treat them as individuals. One relative told us, “It’s reassuring for us to know that (name) is being looked after well. They seem to care about them as an individual.” One person described how they had decorated their room with their own belongings and furniture, making it individual to them.

A variety of activities were available for people to access, including walks in the local park, relaxation and yoga, games and quizzes, arts and crafts, cooking and baking and trips out. Several people volunteered in local community groups. Weekly ‘community meetings’ gave people the opportunity to discuss a range of issues, such as choice of food, activities they would like and any complaints or concerns.

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

Staff supported people to be as independent as they could be. People’s care plans described what they were able to do for themselves and what areas they required support with. Where people were able, and it was safe for them to do so, they went shopping or accessed the community independently. There were guidelines in place for staff to follow in the event someone did not return at their expected time. People were encouraged to use technology, such as mobile phones and laptops, if they were able. This helped some people to keep in contact with family members who were unable to visit in person.

There was an emphasis within the service of helping people to remain independent. Some bedrooms had their own kitchenettes, where people could be encouraged and supported to cook or make drinks for themselves. Staff supported them with other domestic tasks, such as bedmaking and keeping their rooms tidy, all of which helped to promote their independence. The registered manager told us, “We work at helping people achieve positive outcomes, building confidence, independence and helping people develop and restore life skills.”

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

During our visit we saw staff were attentive and responded to people’s needs promptly. Staff knew people well and were aware of any circumstances that might cause distress or upset to people and affect their behaviour. Staff identified changes in people’s physical and mental health and alerted healthcare professionals when needed. Changes were discussed at staff handover meetings. This helped to ensure people’s changing needs were monitored effectively.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider had a system in place to support staff wellbeing and reward them for their hard work.Staff received regular supervision sessions and attended team meetings. In addition, debriefing sessions were held with staff following any difficult or upsetting incidents.

The service had an employer assistance programme which enabled staff to access 6 free counselling sessions if needed. Staff were rewarded for their good work through the ‘employer of the month’ and ‘employer of the year’ awards. Winners, who were chosen by the residents, received flowers and vouchers as their reward. The registered manager told us, “To keep spirits high and morale strong, we hold regular team-building sessions, along with bi-monthly supervisions and annual appraisals to ensure ongoing support, development, and recognition for every team member.” A staff member commented “There can be times where the job can become overwhelming or emotional due to the nature of the people we work with. Any time I have needed extra support the other assistant managers and registered manager have always been there to step in and provide the appropriate support at the time.”