We carried out a review of the data available to us about Farnham Mill Nursing Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Farnham Mill Nursing Home, you can give feedback on this service.
Farnham Mill Nursing Home provides personal and nursing care for up to 65 older people, including people living with dementia. The home is purpose-built and provides accommodation over three floors. There were 58 people living at the home at the time of our inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There were enough staff on each shift to meet people’s needs. People received their care from staff who knew them well and had the training they needed to provide safe care.
Any risks involved in people’s care were recorded and plans were developed to mitigate them. Lessons were learned from adverse events. Accident and incident records were analysed, and measures put in place to reduce the risk of a similar incident happening again.
The provider’s recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staff understood their responsibilities in protecting people from abuse and knew how to report any concerns they had.
Medicines were managed safely. Measures were in place to minimise the risk of infections.
The provider’s quality monitoring systems helped ensure people received safe care. The management team and staff communicated important information about people’s needs effectively. People’s care records were accurate and up to date.
People and their relatives told us their views about the service were listened to. Relatives were encouraged to be involved as partners in their family members’ care.
The provider ensured relatives were kept informed about their family members’ wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The provider had also considered the effect on staff of the pandemic and put support mechanisms in place.
Staff were well supported by their managers and worked well as team to meet people’s needs.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 14 August 2019.)
Why we inspected
We received information of concern in relation to staffing levels and the way in which staff were managed. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern or that staff were not adequately supported by the management team. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
We found the following examples of good practice.
People were supported to maintain contact with their loved ones in a variety of ways. These included an enclosed visiting pod fitted with a hearing loop, a gazebo in the grounds and a visiting area where people could meet with a nominated person. Where appropriate, relatives had also acted as care volunteers within the service. Technology was also extensively used to support people to make contact thorough video calls.
The service was clean and hygienic throughout. Cleaning schedules had been adapted to ensure enhanced cleaning of high touch areas. The provider had researched and invested in several products designed to minimise the spread of COVID-19 using ultraviolet light. Handwashing stations had been installed outside the service to ensure staff and visitors were able to wash their hands prior to entering. Staff had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and had received training in how to use and dispose of this safely.
Infection control training was provided to staff in small groups in the areas they worked. This enabled training to be specific to the people they were supporting and meant observations of staff competence could be completed. A number of staff from different roles received enhanced training and formed an ’Infection Control Army’. These staff members were able to provide additional advice to staff where needed to drive best practice.
Individual care plans had been devised to ensure any additional risks to people receiving safe care had been identified. Where people had tested positive for COVID-19 rehabilitation care plans included activities to aid respiratory recovery such as singing, games and exercises. Due to the layout of the service, areas were able to be set up as isolation areas. This meant people who found it difficult to isolate in their rooms had space to walk safely.
A specific area of the service had been designated for COVID-19 testing. Tests for people, staff and visitors were completed in line with government guidance. Staff told us they felt they were well supported by the management team. One staff member told us, “The manager and directors are here all the time. They work alongside us and we know they are here for us.”
Farnham Mill Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 60 people. There were 52 people living at the service at the time of our inspection. The inspection took place on the 14 June 2019.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Improvements were required around how records were maintained and the robustness of the quality assurance that took place. This included target amounts on people's fluid charts.
The environment was set up to meet the needs of the people living there however we fed back that this could be improved upon with more meaningful sensory items for people living with dementia that wandered.
There were appropriate levels of staff at the service to support people with their needs. Staff were knowledgeable about the risks associated with people’s care. There were plans in place to protect people in the event of a fire or if the building had to be evacuated. People received their medicines when needed.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Staff received appropriate training and supervision in relation to their role. Nurses received clinical supervisions and were provided with updated clinical training. People told us that they were supported with all healthcare needs and we confirmed this from records.
People and relatives told us that staff were kind, caring and respectful towards them. We saw examples of this during the inspection. People were supported and encouraged to remain as independent as possible and were involved in decisions around their care. Relatives and visitors were welcomed as often as they wanted.
There were activities taking place however people and relatives that told us that this could be improved upon. People who were cared for in their rooms had one to one activities provided and were protected from the risk of social isolation. Care plans were planned around people’s health care needs and staff were provided with sufficient guidance in relation to these.
People and relatives knew how to complain and were confident that complaints would be listened to and addressed. People, relatives and staff thought the leadership of the service was supportive and always visible. Staff told us that they felt valued and that they were encouraged to be involved in the running of the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
This service was registered with us on 4 July 2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date they registered.
Follow up
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvement. Please see the Well-Led section of this full report.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. However, after the inspection we were notified of a concern that related to the lack of moving and handling equipment and staff levels. We will be investigating this.
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.