CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Ferndown Manor
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment checks, effective risk management and safe medicines systems. The home was clean and had systems to reduce infection risks.
- Effective?
- Good
- No rating was given for Effective in this inspection report.
- Caring?
- Good
- No rating was given for Caring in this inspection report, although people and relatives described the care positively.
- Responsive?
- Good
- No rating was given for Responsive in this inspection report.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found clear management arrangements, effective quality checks and an open, person-centred culture. People, relatives and staff said managers were approachable and listened to concerns.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Ferndown Manor is rated Good; inspectors found significant and sustained improvements in safety, staffing and leadership since the previous inspection.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 27 February 2023. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals. They also observed care and checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, good risk assessments, safe medicines systems and effective infection control. People and relatives said they felt safe and well cared for.
The home had improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection, published on 22 July 2021. Inspectors found stronger management checks, better risk management and improved staffing. They found no breaches of regulations in this report.
Enough staff
Inspectors found staffing levels had improved and were enough to meet people's needs. Staff had also completed training in key safety procedures.
“Improvements had been made since our last inspection and there were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Risk management
People's risks were assessed and reviewed. Staff shared information reliably, and the home looked at accidents and incidents to identify lessons.
“There was an open culture of learning from mistakes, concerns, incidents and accidents.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, given and recorded safely by trained staff. Records were clear and complete, and medicines were reviewed by health professionals.
“Medicines administration records were clear, accurate and complete.” from the report
Strong leadership
Inspectors found robust checks on medicines, care records and people's wellbeing. The management team recorded and followed up actions for improvement.
“A robust auditing system was in place to check procedures within the home were safe.” from the report
People involved
People and relatives were asked for their views, and the home acted on feedback. For example, people helped create new menus after concerns about food.
“Where areas of improvements had been identified, actions had been taken to improve.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What evidence can you show that the improvements in staffing and risk management have been sustained since the inspection?
- 02How will you assess and manage my relative's specific risks, including risks linked to falls, weight loss or pressure ulcers?
- 03How will you support my relative to make choices and respect any preferences about their care?
- 04How are relatives currently involved in meetings, surveys and decisions about the home?
- 05What arrangements are in place to review my relative's medicines with their GP and other health professionals?
This inspection focused on Safe and Well-led, including infection prevention and control; the report does not give ratings for Effective, Caring or Responsive. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 March 2023 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, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong COVID-19 infection controls during a targeted visit.
This was an unannounced targeted inspection on 8 February 2022. Inspectors were checking infection prevention and control after receiving concerns, and asked about staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors were assured that visitors, new admissions, residents and staff were protected through testing, personal protective equipment, screening, cleaning, isolation and social distancing. They also found the visiting arrangements followed government guidance.
The home was clean, including frequently touched areas. People were supported to have regular tests and visits from relatives. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not provide a full overall quality rating.
Visitor safety checks
The home used lateral flow tests, temperature checks and vaccination status checks to reduce the risk of visitors bringing COVID-19 into the home.
“A robust process was in place to help ensure visitors did not bring COVID-19 into the home.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the home visibly clean. Staff regularly cleaned frequently touched areas and records of this cleaning were reviewed.
“The home was visibly clean throughout. Staff carried out frequent cleaning including of high touch point areas such as handrails, keypads and door handles.” from the report
Testing and isolation
People were supported with regular COVID-19 tests and to isolate when required under government guidance.
“We observed people being supported to isolate when required in line with government guidance.” from the report
Personal protective equipment
People told inspectors that staff consistently wore personal protective equipment, and understood that it helped protect them from COVID-19.
“People advised us "staff always wear PPE.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
Relatives were able to visit during the inspection, and people said they had frequent visits.
“We observed people enjoying visits from relatives during the inspection.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to prevent visitors bringing infections into the home?
- 02How are residents supported with testing and isolation if they are exposed to an infection?
- 03How do you manage staffing pressures when staff are absent because of COVID-19?
- 04How often are high-touch areas cleaned, and how are the cleaning records checked?
- 05What are the current arrangements for relatives to visit?
This was an unannounced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was not a full inspection and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 February 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.
Every inspection of Ferndown Manor
4 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2021Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2020Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2018GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 February 2017.
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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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.
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