Fairhaven 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

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 meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

The registered manager described the assessment process. It was clear there was a robust system to assess people's needs prior to admission and determine if they could safely meet their needs at Fairhaven Care Home. The registered manager explained once people were admitted they were supported by staff who asked them about their life history, cultural or religious beliefs, protected characteristics, and preferences. The registered or deputy manager used this information to develop people’s care plans and discussed further with them and or their relatives as appropriate. On review of people’s care plans we noted that these had been reviewed and updated regularly to help ensure people’s needs were continually met.

Where required the management team would contact outside health and social care professionals who knew the person, to support with the assessment process and allow continued and individualised care to be provided.

People and relatives told us they were asked about their needs and wishes and felt staff knew them well and treated them with respect.

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.

Care plans and related records showed consideration of current legislation and best practice guidance. We identified nationally recognised assessment tools were in use such as for skin integrity and risk of malnutrition.

Care plans included person-centred information about people’s nutrition and hydration needs, including details of any enhanced monitoring, likes and dislikes, specific dietary requirements and food and fluid modification. We observed mealtimes were a positive and social experience for people.

The management team and staff worked well with external professionals to ensure they were contacted for people when needed. Medical interventions were promptly sought, and care planning and monitoring processes updated following any advice received.

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.

The management team and staff worked well together and with professionals external to the service for the benefit of people. Staff had good communication with other professionals who attended the service to support people with their individual health and care needs. Visiting professionals were positive about their working relationship with staff and reflected on their availability and skills.

Staff received subject specific supervisions to ensure their understanding of how to meet people's needs and to keep them safe was of a good standard. Staff had a handover at the start of every shift, to ensure they were up to date about people's needs.

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.

Staff worked effectively with a range of external professionals to protect and promote people’s health and wellbeing. The management team and staff were aware of how to access health and social care professionals should there be a need and both people and professionals confirmed this was done appropriately.

Consideration had been given to menu planning to help ensure healthy nutritious meals and snacks were provided. A relative told us, “The food is excellent, superb. [Person] is enjoying the food. They are eating regularly and putting on weight.”

People were encouraged and supported to partake in a range of activities including, physical activities such as boxing as well as activities to promote positive emotional and psychological wellbeing.

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.

People, relatives and professionals talked of improvements in people’s wellbeing since being at the home. Relatives’ comments included, “When [person] first went there, they were immobile, incontinent and not eating and drinking. They [staff] did a lot for them, they [person] regained their mobility and continence”, “They look after [person]; we have seen a major difference since they have been there, so they do understand them” and “We don’t have any issues, [person] is thriving.”

People were regularly asked their views on the service and if there was anything they wanted doing differently. This was done through informal 1 to 1 conversations with staff and the management team, through resident meetings and through feedback surveys. People and their relatives had reviews of their support plans and staff discussed with them when there were changes to their health or support needs.

Care plans contain information on diagnoses, specific health needs and past medical history. Care plans and risk assessment had good level of detail about actions staff should take should a person’s health deteriorate. Staff monitored and act on deterioration and escalate appropriately, where required.

The registered manager explained how they or the deputy manager monitored people’s electronic care records and ensured staff had supported people with agreed tasks. They monitored this throughout the day to ensure people's needs were met.

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

People said they were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People confirmed staff always asked their consent before providing any care or treatment.

Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to mental capacity and consent and that people had the right to refuse care and had received training in this area. Staff recognised the importance of people giving consent and supported people to make informed choices and respected these. We observed staff asking people’s permission prior to providing support throughout the assessment visits.

People’s capacity to make decisions was reviewed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and where people lacked capacity, decisions were made in people’s best interests. We found the service was working within the principles of the MCA and if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty.