SeeAbility - Fiennes House Residential Home

Updated 25 January 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

One inspector and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection: An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

SeeAbility - Fiennes House Residential Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. SeeAbility - Fiennes House Residential Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

One inspector visited SeeAbility - Fiennes House Residential Home on 21 December 2022 and 5 January 2023. We spent time with ten people, getting their feedback and observing the quality of care and support they received. This included using the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experiences of people who we were unable to communicate with effectively.

We looked at a variety of records relating to people’s personal care and support and the running of the service. These included, two people’s care and support plans, four people’s medicines records, two staff recruitment files and a variety of records relating to the management of the service including policies and procedures. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager. We spoke with two visiting relatives about their experience of the care provided. We sought feedback from one professional who works with the service. An Expert by Experience spoke with five relatives about their experience of the care provided.

Updated 25 January 2023

About the service

SeeAbility - Fiennes House Residential Home is a care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to 12 people. The service provides specialist support for people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss. There were 12 people living at the home when we visited.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The service is larger than current best practice recommendations. However, the size of the service having any negative impact on people was lessened by the layout of house into separate areas, with two kitchen/dining/lounge areas, en-suite facilities and the choice of communal areas people could use. Also, by personalised nature of the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support:

The service supported people to have the maximum possible choice and control over their own lives. Staff were observed communicating with people in ways that met their needs and supporting people to make choices.

People benefitted from the interactive and stimulating environment. Bedrooms were personalised and the service gave people care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment that met their sensory and physical needs.

Staff supported people to take part in activities and pursue their interests in their local area. One person told us about their hobby and how staff supported them into the community to pursue this.

Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community.

Staff supported people with their medicines safely and infection control procedures and measures were in place to protect people from infection control risks.

Right Care:

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to people’s individual needs. Throughout the inspection we observed kind, relaxed, compassionate and caring interactions between people and staff.

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.

People could communicate with staff because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs. This included using assistive technology, body language, sounds and objects of reference.

Right Culture:

People led inclusive and empowered lives because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management and staff. Throughout the inspection we observed that staff were respectful of people and took time to offer support and reassurance when needed.

People received good quality care and support because trained staff could meet their needs and wishes.

People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their needs.

Staff knew and understood people well and placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did. One staff member told us, “It is about them, they are in the centre of their care, if they decide they don't want to do something it is their choice, they have a right to make their own choices.”

People and those important to them were involved in planning their care.

Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity. The staff, registered manager and deputy manager were open and transparent throughout our inspection. The registered manager and deputy manager acted efficiently on queries and feedback throughout the inspection.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was good (published 23 March 2020)

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.