Fulford Care & Nursing Home

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

People did not always feel they were treated with kindness, compassion, and respect, or that their privacy and dignity were upheld. Feedback from people and visitors was mixed; some described staff as kind and attentive, while others reported experiences of staff being abrupt, unkind, or speaking in a disrespectful manner. Comments included, ‘Some are nice and some shouldn’t be in care because they don’t care. One of them argues with the residents and shouts.” And “Sometimes someone has been unfriendly, and I’ve thought I wasn’t cared for. But then the next one comes in and they’re OK.” We shared this feedback with the provider who told us how they planned to address these concerns with staff and people.

People who shared positive experiences told us, “Brilliant, they are all brilliant,” and “The staff are very caring. They’re all caring, but some you get more attached to.”

However, during the inspection we observed positive, warm interactions, and saw staff who knew people well and treated them in a dignified and respectful way.

The provider ensured people were treated as individuals. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s strengths, abilities, backgrounds and protected characteristics, and this information was used to inform person-centred care planning and delivery. Care plans reflected people’s personal histories and captured the essence of the person prior to their diagnosis and care needs. This aided staff understanding of how people lived experiences had shaped their personalities, decisions and needs and provided prompts for conversations and memories.

People’s bedrooms were personalised with items and furniture from their own homes, helping to create a familiar and comfortable environment. Opportunities were available for people to participate in activities they enjoyed, both within the service and in the local community. A person told us, “I do sometimes go out, I need a wheelchair, I enjoy going out.” A relative spoke positively about the activities provided, commenting, “That’s one of the reasons [name] in this care home.”

The provider did not always promote people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment, and wellbeing. Some people lived with dementia in a dedicated unit. The environment did not consistently promote independence or provide sufficient sensory stimulation, particularly for those who walked with purpose, and opportunities for meaningful occupation were limited. However, bedroom doors were brightly painted and personalised to aid orientation. The registered manager recognised these shortfalls and had plans to improve the environment and activity provision for people living with dementia.

In other areas of the home, people were supported to make choices and decisions throughout the day, promoting independence and autonomy. Staff encouraged independence in aspects of personal care, medicines, and communication. A person said about meals, “If it’s something you don’t like, they bring you something else.” People were able to receive visitors when they wished and had access to technology and Wi-Fi to support their communication and independence.

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. We observed staff responding appropriately to residents needs when requests were made. A person told us, “If I need anything, I just ask.” Another person said, “There’s always people buzzing about and, within reason, they’ll do anything for you.” People told us they were reassured by the weekly ward round offered by the local medical practice. A person said, “We don’t seem to wait long at all to see a doctor.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care. Staff told us the workplace culture had improved since the registered manager had been appointed and they felt supported and valued by them. Staff told us it was a good place to work with good support systems. The providers grievance procedure enabled staff to raise concerns formally and appropriately. Staff knew about this policy and felt confident to use it. There was a supervision policy which centred on open dialogue between the staff member and their supervisor. Supervision also offered the opportunity for personal development and learning.