Fairleigh House

Fairleigh House is a residential care home supporting up to seven adults with complex learning disabilities, autism, and physical disabilities. The home offers a warm and relaxed environment where residents live in comfortable surroundings that match local residential properties. While staff demonstrate genuine dedication and residents receive compassionate support tailored to their personal preferences, the inspection highlighted several administrative and safety shortcomings that need attention from management.

When it comes to safety, the home experienced shortcomings regarding environmental hazards, such as exposed wiring and unassessed furniture stability, alongside missing health and safety checks like water temperature and fire safety equipment audits. Medicines were not always stored or tracked properly, and cleaning standards required improvement in certain areas like the basement.

Effectiveness was impacted by gaps in staff training, as several team members had not completed required courses in fire safety, infection control, or the Mental Capacity Act, and comprehensive induction records were missing for some. However, staff followed legal principles for decision-making and successfully supported individuals with their daily health needs and balanced diets.

The home excels in its daily interactions, with residents experiencing genuinely kind, patient, and respectful support from staff who know them well. Care is built around personal choices and human rights, ensuring dignity is maintained throughout daily routines.

Residents benefit from a responsive approach where staff recognize changes in individual needs and provide access to meaningful activities and personalized care plans. Communication is well-supported through tailored strategies, and staffing levels are sufficient to ensure nobody feels rushed during meals or daily tasks.

Leadership requires strengthening, as internal quality monitoring and audits failed to identify critical shortfalls in safety, medicine management, and infection control practices. Despite these structural oversight issues, relatives and staff noted an open and positive culture, and management began addressing the identified concerns promptly during the inspection process.