CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Fairways
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about most infection prevention measures, including protective equipment, testing, cleaning, social distancing and outbreak management. They were only somewhat assured that visits followed current guidance.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, June 2021
The Fairways was inspected but not rated; infection controls were mostly reassuring, but visiting guidance was not always followed.
This was a targeted inspection on 29 April 2021. It looked at infection prevention and control in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The inspection was announced.
Inspectors found the home clean and well laid out for infection control. They were assured about the use of protective equipment, testing, social distancing, admissions and outbreak management. Staff also monitored people's health and wellbeing.
Inspectors were only somewhat assured that visits were being facilitated in line with current guidance. The home was given a recommendation to improve its approach. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Clean environment
The home was clean, without unpleasant smells, and regular cleaning was used to reduce infection risks.
“The service was clean and free from malodour.” from the report
Good use of space
The layout supported social distancing. Zoning reduced mixing between people and staff during the outbreak.
“Zoning in the home had been used to good effect during the outbreak to reduce mixing between people and staff across the home.” from the report
Health monitoring
Staff checked people's health and wellbeing, including taking temperatures to look for possible COVID-19 symptoms.
“Staff closely monitored people's health and wellbeing.” from the report
Infection control systems
Inspectors were assured about protective equipment, testing, safe admissions, social distancing and the management of outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Visiting guidance
needs fixingCurrent guidance for visits was not always followed. Inspectors signposted the home to resources to improve its approach.
“Current guidance around visiting in the home was not always followed.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to ensure current visiting guidance is always followed?
- 02How do you manage visits when there is an infection outbreak or other infection risk?
- 03How often are cleaning tasks completed, and how do you check that the cleaning schedule is followed?
- 04How are zoning and social distancing used to reduce mixing between people and staff?
- 05How are people's temperatures and other possible COVID-19 symptoms monitored and acted on?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, so it did not assess the other key questions or provide an overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 June 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, November 2018
The Fairways was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-organised care, with some activities and care plan improvements still developing.
This was an unannounced inspection on 29 October 2018. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They observed daily life, checked care plans, medicines, staffing, recruitment, training, food, the building and quality records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable staff checks and training, well-managed medicines, good links with health professionals and clean, suitable accommodation.
People described staff as kind, respectful and patient. Care plans were detailed and person-centred. The home had activities, monthly residents' meetings and systems for handling complaints. The rating stayed Good, as it had been at the previous inspection in May 2016, when there were no breaches.
Kind and respectful staff
People spoke positively about staff, and inspectors observed warm, patient and respectful interactions.
“People who lived in the home told us that the staff were caring.” from the report
Safe staffing and recruitment
Inspectors judged that staffing levels met people's needs and found suitable checks before staff worked with vulnerable people.
“We judged that the home had enough care staff on duty by day and night to meet people's needs.” from the report
Medicines management
Medicines were stored securely, staff competence was checked and the new electronic system supported monitoring.
“The home had adopted a new electronic system for ordering, administrating and disposing of drugs.” from the report
Person-centred care
Care plans were detailed, current and based on people's individual needs, preferences and choices.
“The care assessments and plans were comprehensive, person centred and up to date.” from the report
Quality oversight
The management team gathered views from people, families and staff and used audits and action plans to monitor the service.
“The service had a comprehensive quality monitoring system in place and people were asked their views in a number of different ways.” from the report
Activities did not suit everyone
minorActivities and entertainment were available, but some people wanted more or different choices.
“Other people wanted more or different options but also said they could make their wishes known” from the report
Care plans were still being refined
minorThe electronic care planning system was working well, but the team was still developing the plans and working on versions people could keep.
“The senior team told us that their care plans were a work in progress” from the report
- 01How would you support my relative if their care needs or staffing needs changed?
- 02How do you use the electronic medicines system to check that medicines are given safely and reviewed regularly?
- 03When will residents be able to have a written or pictorial care plan or goal plan to keep?
- 04How would you adapt activities if my relative wanted different or more choices?
- 05How would you assess whether the home can meet my relative's needs if they are living with dementia?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall rating; the home does not provide nursing care. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 November 2018 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 The Fairways
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 June 2014.
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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Cumberland
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.
8 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
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.