Care Home: Fernbrook House

Similar services:

• Claremont House
• Oak Ridge
• Sun Court Nursing Home
• Ashville House
• Bilney Hall
• Hill Barn
• Mabbs Hall Nursing Home
• Henrietta House

What the care home does well People spoken with were happy with the care and support they receive. They looked relaxed and comfortable in their interactions with staff. Comments were generally positive with people saying that they were cared for well, had good food and generally got on well with all of the staff. People have opportunities for stimulation, activity and engagement during the day. One person said, "I did not think I was going to like it here but thought well I have to come, and at first I stayed in my room. But now I really like it and enjoy the company and activity." What the care home could do better: The hours and shift patterns that staff work needs to be urgently reviewed so that residents receive safe care from staff who are fresh and competent to carry out their work. The environment needs to continue to improve so that people live in a pleasant home with adequate furnishings in their rooms. Medication practices need to be reviewed so that best practice and robust audit trails are maintained. Random inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Fernbrook House 37-47 Fernbrook Avenue Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2QW one star adequate service 21/12/2009 The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection. This is a report of a random inspection of this care home. A random inspection is a short, focussed review of the service. Details of how to get other inspection reports for this care home, including the last key inspection report, can be found on the last page of this report. Lead inspector: Vicky Dutton Date: 2 5 0 8 2 0 1 0 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Fernbrook House 37-47 Fernbrook Avenue Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2QW 01702460364 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs Gilda Glennd Figueroa Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Fernbrook Care Homes Ltd care home 30 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 30 dementia old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: 30 0 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 30 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home with nursing - Code N to service users of the following gender: Either whose primary care need on admission to the home are within the following categories: Old age not falling within any other category - Code OP Dementia - Code DE Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Fernbrook House is a privately owned care home that provides thirty beds for both nursing and residential care. The home is also registered to provide care for people Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 8 2 1 1 2 2 0 0 9 Brief description of the care home who have dementia. Fernbrook House is situated in the residential area of Southchurch which is close to Southend on Sea. Transport links and local amenities such as shops are close by. Accommodation is provided on two floors in three shared rooms with en suite, and twenty four single rooms, 21 of which have en suite facilities. The first floor can be accessed by a lift. There is communal lounge on each floor, and a dining room on the ground floor. A garden is available to the rear of the building. There is no parking available at the home but on street parking is generally available close by. A Statement of Purpose and Service Users Guide were available. Previous inspection reports are made available to people. At the time of the last key inspection visit in December 2009 the fees charged by the home were stated as being from £399.00 to £600.00 per week. Fees charged depend upon level of needs and funding arrangements. Additional charges include chiropody, hairdressing, newspapers and other personal items. People are also charged at the normal care staff rate per hour if a member of staff needs to escort them to hospital for an planned appointment. People would also have to pay the cost of a taxi if other transport is not available. The provider said that the hourly rate would not be charged in an emergency situation. Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 8 What we found: We carried out this random inspection to follow up on issues raised by a number of safeguarding alerts raised in relation to the home, and other information we have received. We also wanted to see if issues identified at our last key inspection of the service in December last year had been addressed. We spent three hours at the home. We spoke to people living there and observed how they were being cared for. We viewed some care records, medication records and some staffing records. When we visited we found that some improvements had been made. Staff were interacting and engaging more with residents and offering them choices. A new activities person has been appointed who has greatly improved the opportunities for people to engage in both group and one to one activities. As a result of this residents seemed more alert and communicative. People choosing to stay in their rooms or being cared for in bed had access to their call bells. Signage at the home had been developed to help people to find their way around and identify their rooms. We saw that staff training was ongoing, and that all staff have received recent training in moving and handling and the use of hoists. The grounds at the home have been greatly improved and residents told us how they had been out planting flowers. Pictures seen showed residents now enjoying the garden area. Some aspects of the premises however still need improvement. Paintwork in many areas needs renewing. Furnishings in many rooms are shabby or broken. The provider said that redecoration and new furnishings are in hand. It was disappointing that in spite of it being raised at many inspections, one shared room still has obscured glass fitted in the window. This means that residents using this room will be unable to look out or see the outdoors. The provider undertook to address this quickly. The management of medication had not changed, and our advice given at the previous inspection relating to the disposal of refused medication, and the need to date boxed/bottled medication on commencement had not been actioned. Fernbrook House provides nursing care, and had hoped to develop end of life care for residents through working with Basildon Hospital and implementing end of life care pathways. This has not yet happened. The home provided us with copies of four weeks rotas which we took away to analyse later. When we looked at these in detail they raised serious concerns. We are in discussions with the provider about how these are to be addressed. When we visited the home there was a calm atmosphere. Management and staff were friendly and helpful. Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 8 What the care home does well: What they could do better: If you want to know what action the person responsible for this care home is taking following this report, you can contact them using the details set out on page 2. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 8 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes £ No R Outstanding statutory requirements These are requirements that were set at the previous inspection, but have still not been met. They say what the registered person had to do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 8 Requirements and recommendations from this inspection: Immediate requirements: These are immediate requirements that were set on the day we visited this care home. The registered person had to meet these within 48 hours. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Statutory requirements These requirements set out what the registered person must do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must do this within the timescales we have set. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action 1 27 18 The level of hours and shift patterns worked by staff needs to be urgently reviewed. So that residents receive safe care from staff who are alert and competent at all times. 14/09/2010 Recommendations These recommendations are taken from the best practice described in the National Minimum Standards and the registered person(s) should consider them as a way of improving their service. No Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 8 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Inspection Report Care Quality Commission General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Copies of the National Minimum Standards –Care Homes for Older People can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or got from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering from the Stationery Office is also available: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a summary in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for noncommercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source should be acknowledged, by showing the publication title and © Care Quality Commission 2010. Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 8 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. The policy of www.bestcarehome.co.uk is to use all legal avenues to pursue such offenders, including recovery of costs. You have been warned!