CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Fern Croft
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention, protective equipment, testing, visiting arrangements and plans for managing an outbreak.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- This targeted inspection did not rate the effective question.
- Caring?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not rate the caring question.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not rate the responsive question.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not rate the well-led question.
What inspectors found, May 2021
Fern Croft was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control and safe visiting arrangements.
Inspectors visited the home on 29 April 2021. This was an announced, targeted inspection during the COVID-19 pandemic. It focused on infection prevention and control in the care home.
Inspectors found examples of good practice. The home had a visiting pod, supported contact with relatives by electronic means, and had supplies of personal protective equipment and other essential items ready for an outbreak.
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely, arranging testing, following shielding and social distancing rules, and keeping its infection control policy up to date. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Safe visiting
The home had created a visiting pod so people could see relatives safely.
“A new building in the rear garden was being used as a visiting pod to enable people to receive visitors safely.” from the report
Contact with relatives
People were supported to stay in touch with relatives electronically when face-to-face visits were not possible.
“People had been supported to keep in touch with relatives through electronic means when visits were not possible.” from the report
Protective equipment
Inspectors found that protective equipment was available and being used properly.
“Staff used the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provided appropriately.” from the report
Outbreak planning
The home had supplies ready for an outbreak and had updated its plans for possible critical staff shortages.
“Plans had been updated to state how the service would respond to critical staff shortages during an outbreak of COVID-19.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visits arranged now, and is the visiting pod still available if needed?
- 02What happens if there is a COVID-19 outbreak or a critical shortage of staff?
- 03How often are people living here and staff tested when required?
- 04How do you make sure staff use protective equipment correctly?
- 05What were the home's ratings for caring, effective, responsive and well-led care at its previous full inspection?
This was an announced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic; the service was inspected but not rated and the other quality questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 May 2021 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, December 2019
Rated Good overall; inspectors found exceptionally effective support, kind care and strong attention to people's health and independence.
This was an unannounced inspection carried out over two visits. One inspector spoke with three people living in the home, a relative, the manager and four staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, training information and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, caring, responsive and well-led were all rated Good. Effective was rated Outstanding. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with respect, involved in decisions and supported to develop skills and independence.
The strongest findings were about health support. Staff worked with health professionals and national support organisations to understand people's specific needs. Inspectors also found medicines were managed safely, staffing was sufficient and care was personalised.
The home had the same overall Good rating as at the previous inspection in June 2017. Effective remained Outstanding, while the other four question ratings remained Good.
Specialist health support
Staff gained specialist knowledge through links with national support organisations and used it to help people manage specific health conditions.
“This enabled staff to obtain specific knowledge and skills to support people to manage their health-related needs.” from the report
Building independence
Support focused on choice, control, new skills and independence. People were helped with activities such as shopping, housework, public transport and community interests.
“People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.” from the report
Kind relationships
Inspectors saw staff using a warm and friendly approach. People and professionals described positive relationships with staff.
“We observed people were treated in a caring way by staff who used a warm and friendly approach with them.” from the report
Personalised daily life
People had detailed plans that reflected their preferences and routines. They could make choices about matters such as when to go to bed and what to eat.
“People received care that was personalised and responsive to their needs.” from the report
Some areas needed redecoration
minorThe home's quality audit identified areas requiring redecoration. Inspectors said action was not urgent, but families may wish to check what work has since been completed.
“The recent quality audit found some areas of the care home required redecoration although action on these areas was not considered to be urgent.” from the report
- 01How would you support my relative's particular health needs, and what specialist training have staff received?
- 02How would you help my relative develop skills and become more independent?
- 03What activities and community opportunities would be available to my relative?
- 04What redecoration work identified in the quality audit has been completed?
- 05How would you involve my relative and our family in care reviews and decisions?
This was an unannounced inspection covering the overall service and all five CQC questions, with care and the premises both looked at. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 December 2019 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 Fern Croft
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 January 2011.
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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38 live-in carers within about an hour of Gloucestershire
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 £1,030 to £1,360 a week. 31 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.