Fernhill House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality [CQC] regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Fernhill House accommodates up to 66 people in one purpose built building, with many different areas for people to spend time together or more privately as they choose. Care and support is provided to people with dementia, nursing needs, and personal care needs. There were 35 people living at the home at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

This is the provider's first inspection since they registered the service with the CQC.

Overall, people received their medicines safely and as prescribed. However, the provider needed to ensure safe medicines management was consistently followed by all staff to mitigate risks to people’s safety and welfare.

People were supported to stay as safe as possible by staff who understood what actions to take to reduce risks to their well-being. This included reducing risks to people’s physical health and mental well-being. People, their relatives and staff were confident if they had any concerns for people’s safety the management team would put plans in place to help them. There was enough staff to meet people’s care needs.

People benefited from living in a home where there were systems in place to reduce the risk of infections and staff knew what action to take to care for people if they experienced any infections. Checks on the environment were undertaken and systems for identifying if there was any learning after safety incidents were in place.

Staff considered people’s care needs and involved people who knew them well before people came to live at the home, so they could be sure they could meet people’s needs. Staff had received the training they required so people would be supported by staff with the skills needed to provide care and support.

People were supported to choose what they wanted to eat and to obtain care from health and social care professionals so they would remain well. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People had developed caring relationships with the staff who provided support and showed us they liked the staff who cared for them. Staff communicated with people in the ways they preferred and encouraged them to make their own day to day decisions about their care. People received care from staff who acted to promote their dignity and independence.

People’s care had been planned by taking their individual wishes, histories and needs into account. People’s care plans incorporated advice provided by other health and social care professionals, so they would receive the care they needed in the ways they preferred. Systems were in place to respond to any concerns or complaints and to incorporate any learning into care subsequently provided.

The registered manager and provider checked people received the care they wanted, so they would be assured people enjoyed a good quality of life and risks to their safety were reduced. The registered manager listened to the views of people, their relatives and staff when developing people’s care and the home further. The management and staff team planned further work and their ambition was to be outstanding so people would benefit from living at a home where staff continued to develop their caring skills and experience.

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