Fairlea

This report details an inspection of Fairlea, a home supporting up to two individuals with learning disabilities and autism. The inspection focused on assessing the quality of care provided across five key areas: safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness, and leadership. It highlights significant improvements made since the previous inspection, addressing earlier concerns and demonstrating a commitment to providing a supportive environment. The findings indicate that the service is working to ensure residents can live as independently and ordinarily as possible, aligned with best practice guidelines.

On safety, the home ensures residents are protected from harm, with staff trained in safeguarding and knowledgeable about identifying and reporting concerns. Risks to residents are carefully assessed and managed, and there are sufficient staff to meet everyone's needs, with safe medication management practices in place. While the environment is generally safe, with measures like window restrictors and regular temperature checks, some procedural gaps in medicine recording were identified, prompting immediate action and retraining for staff.

In terms of how effective the care is, staff demonstrate a deep understanding of residents' needs and communicate effectively. The service now fully adheres to the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, ensuring residents are supported in decision-making and their liberty is protected lawfully. Staff receive ongoing training and supervision, and residents are well-supported with nutrition, hydration, and access to healthcare professionals, with detailed health action plans in place.

Regarding how caring the service is, staff are noted for treating residents with kindness, respect, and compassion, understanding individual communication methods and emotional needs. Residents are empowered to make choices about their care and daily lives, with staff respecting their preferences and routines. The home actively encourages residents to maintain relationships with family and friends, and their privacy and dignity are consistently respected.

In terms of responsiveness, residents are given choices about how they spend their time and engage in activities, with personalised care plans reflecting their in-depth needs, often developed over many years of residency. The stable staff team has fostered strong relationships, enabling a deep understanding of individual preferences and support requirements. Residents are supported to engage in a wide range of activities, and a clear complaints process is in place to address any concerns raised.

Finally, concerning how well-led the service is, there is a clear focus on quality and continuous improvement. An open and inclusive culture is fostered, encouraging feedback from residents, families, and staff to enhance service delivery. Regular audits and checks are conducted to monitor quality, and improvements are implemented where needed, with staff feeling supported and confident to raise concerns with management. The provider's values are well understood and integrated into the daily practice.