Ferndale Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This service scored 71 (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 did not always make sure people’s care and treatment were effective because they did not always check and discuss people’s health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People's needs were assessed both prior to admission and upon arrival at the home to ensure the service could meet their individual requirements safely and effectively. Records demonstrated that comprehensive assessments were undertaken, covering people’s physical health, mental health, sensory needs, communication requirements, and social and emotional wellbeing. These assessments informed the development of personalised care plans and support arrangements.

People’s consent to the assessment and care planning process was sought and recorded where appropriate. Relatives told us they were involved in discussions about their family member’s care and felt their views were listened to and considered. This helped to ensure care was developed in partnership with people and those important to them.

The service operated both paper-based and electronic care planning and risk assessment systems. We identified two examples where information recorded in the paper records had not been updated to reflect changes made on the electronic system, resulting in inconsistencies between the two. This increased the risk that staff using hard-copy records may not have access to the most up-to-date information about people's needs, preferences and risks, which could affect the safe delivery of care.

The Registered Manager acknowledged these concerns during the first site visit and provided evidence at the second visit that the discrepancies had been addressed. They also confirmed the service would transition to an exclusively electronic care planning system, helping to ensure records remain accurate, current and easily accessible to staff.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

The service's training arrangements supported staff to maintain an understanding of relevant legislation, regulatory requirements and recognised best practice guidance. Staff applied this knowledge when delivering care and support. A range of recognised assessment tools was used to monitor people's health and wellbeing, including areas such as nutrition, hydration, pain management and skin health. The consistent use of these tools supported accurate monitoring, timely identification of concerns and effective information sharing with healthcare professionals involved in people's care.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

Staff demonstrated effective teamwork and communicated well to ensure people's care was delivered safely and consistently. During the inspection, staff were observed coordinating tasks appropriately and sharing information to meet people's changing needs. Communication systems, including handovers and daily records, supported the timely exchange of important information. The service maintained positive relationships with healthcare professionals and other agencies, enabling people to access specialist support when required and helping to achieve positive outcomes for their health and wellbeing.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People were supported by a consistent staff team who knew them well and demonstrated a clear understanding of their individual preferences, wishes, and personal choices. Relatives spoke positively about the person-centred approach adopted by staff and the opportunities available for people to engage in meaningful activities and maintain their interests and beliefs. One relative told us, “The activities lady is great. Everyone seems to enjoy getting involved with the activities offered. My loved one is very religious and someone from the church comes to give them communion every month.”

Effective systems were in place to monitor outcomes for people and to review the quality and effectiveness of the care provided. Records demonstrated that people’s needs were regularly assessed and care plans reviewed to ensure support remained appropriate, responsive, and reflective of any changes in their circumstances. Relatives described how staff worked proactively with healthcare professionals to monitor and respond to changes in people’s health needs. One relative told us, “The care home team come in every week and my relative’s health needs are always reviewed.”

The provider actively sought feedback from people using the service and, where appropriate, their relatives to understand their experiences and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Feedback received was consistently positive regarding the quality of care and support provided, with relatives highlighting the welcoming and supportive approach of staff. One relative commented, “Staff are so helpful and welcoming. It's great.”

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

Care plans contained clearly defined outcomes focused on maintaining safe mobility, promoting independence, and reducing the risk of pressure damage. Individual risks had been appropriately assessed, with detailed guidance in place to support staff in delivering safe, consistent, and person-centred care.

Daily records evidenced ongoing monitoring of skin integrity, nutrition, hydration, mobility, and overall wellbeing. Documentation demonstrated that staff remained responsive to changes in the person’s needs and took timely and appropriate action when concerns were identified.

Records reviewed reflected a proactive approach to care planning, risk management, and ongoing assessment. This helped to ensure care remained effective and responsive, supporting positive outcomes while promoting the person's health, wellbeing, independence, and quality of life.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how it applied to their day-to-day practice. They described how they supported people to make their own decisions wherever possible and respected people's rights to make choices about their care and daily lives. During the assessment, we observed people making decisions about mattered to them, including their routines, clothing, meals and activities. Where people required support with decision-making, appropriate mental capacity assessments had been completed and records evidenced that decisions were considered on an individual and decision-specific basis, with people involved as fully as possible in the process.