CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Fairford Court
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable risk assessments and systems to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm. They noted some minor problems with PPE records, infection control records and medicine competency checks.
- Effective?
- Good
- People received support from trained staff and were helped with health care, food, daily living and community activities. The home followed the Mental Capacity Act and supported people to make choices.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. The report says staff were kind, respectful and non-judgemental, but it does not give a new rating for Caring.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. The report describes person-centred care plans and activities, but it does not give a new rating for Responsive.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Management oversight was inconsistent. The home did not have complete evidence for some daily care and cleaning audits, testing records were not readily available, and its action plan had missed some improvements.
What inspectors found, March 2022
Fairford Court was rated Good overall, but inspectors found management systems needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 8 February 2022. One inspector looked at Safe, Effective and Well-led, including infection control and COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The inspection spoke with one person, staff and managers, and checked medicines, care records, recruitment files, audits and other records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Effective. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable risk assessments and safe medicine management overall. People had person-centred care plans, were supported to make choices and were helped to access health care and community activities.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for Well-led. There had been management changes, and the new manager had not yet fully established reliable systems. Records for cleaning and testing were incomplete or difficult to follow, and some medicine competency checks had not been completed. The overall rating stayed Good because the other ratings were carried over from the previous inspection.
Enough staff
Inspectors found there were enough staff to support people safely.
“There were enough staff to support people safely.” from the report
Safe recruitment
Recruitment checks were completed before staff started working with people.
“Recruitment processes and procedures were effective with reference and DBS checks in place prior to staff starting to work with people.” from the report
Person-centred care
Care plans reflected people's needs and choices. People were supported with independence, daily living and community activities.
“We saw that care plans were person centred, and we were told that the staff were kind and treated people with respect.” from the report
Staff training and support
Staff received induction, training and supervision. Inspectors found that staff were supported to provide good quality care.
“Care records and risk assessments were up to date and staff were supervised, trained and supported to provide good quality care.” from the report
Management oversight
needs fixingThe new manager had not yet embedded reliable systems for checking daily care records and cleaning. The action plan also did not initially include all the issues identified.
“there was a lack of available evidence to show management oversight related to audits of daily care records and cleaning undertaken.” from the report
Incomplete testing records
needs fixingRecords of lateral flow testing were not transparent or readily available. The home said it had reinstated its monitoring system and improved record keeping after the inspection.
“The manager had not ensured that the system to recording all lateral flow testing results was transparent and readily available.” from the report
Medicine competency checks
needs fixingNot all staff who gave medicines had been competency checked within the previous 12 months, although they had received training. The home completed this after the inspection.
“Not all staff had not been competency checked to give medicines although they had all received training.” from the report
Cleaning evidence
minorThe home said daily and nightly cleaning took place, but records showing this were unavailable for several months.
“we found that all the records to evidence this were unavailable over the last few months.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to the management audits since the inspection, and can we see recent evidence that daily care and cleaning checks are complete?
- 02How are lateral flow testing records now kept, and who checks that they are accurate and available?
- 03Have all staff who give medicines completed competency checks, and how often are these checks repeated?
- 04Where is PPE now stored, and what are the current rules for using and disposing of it?
- 05How will you make sure the updated action plan includes every improvement identified by inspections and by the home itself?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led; Caring and Responsive were not inspected and the overall rating used ratings from the previous inspection for uninspected areas. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 March 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, November 2017
Fairford Court rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with some staffing and record-keeping issues to monitor.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 31 August 2017. They spoke with people using both services, staff, managers, relatives and a health professional. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files, training, policies and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe and liked living there. Inspectors found kind staff, good support with health care, person-centred care plans and opportunities for work, volunteering and independence.
There were some issues to keep under review. Agency staff had been used because of vacancies, one medicines record was not signed, and one fire door was damaged and awaiting specialist repair. The home took action on these points, and the previous breach about notifying CQC had been addressed.
Safe medicines support
Inspectors found that medicines were stored and given safely. Storage temperatures were checked daily and records were used to check stocks.
“Medicines were safely stored and administered. The temperature at which medicines were stored was taken daily and recorded, and was within a safe range.” from the report
Person-centred care
Care plans reflected people's needs, choices and commitments. People were involved in drawing up their plans and reviewing their goals.
“Support plans were person centred, up to date and contained information regarding people's needs.” from the report
Independence and opportunity
People were supported to manage areas such as money, medicines and time. They were also supported with education, paid work, volunteering, hobbies and trips out.
“People were encouraged to find work and key worker session notes showed how people and staff were working towards specific goals including managing their own finances or volunteering.” from the report
Good relationships and respect
Inspectors saw caring interactions. Staff offered choices, respected people's decisions and supported them to become more independent.
“Support plans were drawn up in a way that was respectful and we could see that people were involved as they were signed by both people living at the service and staff.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The provider used audits and electronic systems to monitor incidents, safeguarding, training, medicines and care plan reviews. Audit results had improved during 2017.
“The provider had a quality assurance process in place that required action by both the registered manager and the provider's quality assurance staff.” from the report
Use of agency staff
needs fixingThere had been vacancies and increased use of agency staff. People and relatives said this could make support less consistent, although inspectors found enough staff on the inspection day.
“Sometimes we have agency. That's not as nice as their own staff.” from the report
Incomplete medicines record
needs fixingOne medicines administration record in the supported living service had not been signed the previous evening. A written protocol about the person's choice to refuse medicines was added by the end of the day.
“One medicine administration record had not been signed the previous evening in the supported living scheme.” from the report
Fire door awaiting repair
needs fixingA door between the residential and supported living services had been damaged and had reportedly been waiting for repair. The manager said funding had been agreed and specialist work was due soon.
“We noted that a door between the residential care unit and the supported living service had been damaged.” from the report
Some checks were not recorded as planned
needs fixingBlood sugar readings and weight checks did not always happen as often as the care plans stated. Managers said refusals should be recorded in future.
“Whilst blood sugar readings were being taken, this was not always happening four times a day.” from the report
- 01How many permanent staff are now in post, and how often are agency staff being used?
- 02Has the damaged fire door between the two services been repaired?
- 03How are refusals or missed blood sugar checks and weight checks recorded now?
- 04How do staff make sure medicines administration records are signed and checked every time?
- 05How are the separate management arrangements working for the residential and supported living services?
This inspection covered both the residential care unit and the supported living and outreach services, including all five CQC questions, using selected records and discussions with people, staff, relatives and professionals. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 November 2017 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Fairford Court
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 December 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Barnet
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,300 a week. 83 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“The quality of life that she's given my parents has been priceless. The peace of mind she's given my sisters and I, through a very difficult time, has been invaluable.”
“Folasade is really kind, patient and respectful, has a fantastic sense of humour and such a positive outlook on life.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.