The Firs

The Firs is a residential care home without nursing, located in Hampshire, that accommodates up to 22 people, some of whom are living with dementia. The home provides personal care across two floors accessible by stairs and a passenger lift, surrounded by an accessible mature garden and patio areas. Following previous concerns, a focused inspection was carried out in June 2022 to review safety and leadership, resulting in significant improvements across the service and a more stable environment for residents and their families.

Residents and their families report feeling secure, noting that staff take prompt action to identify and respond to risks, and background recruitment checks are now properly managed. While cleaning schedules and hygiene standards are high, some minor medication management issues were noted, such as an expired item that needed disposal and a lack of tamper-proof storage for returns.

Staff support individual needs effectively, following specialized care plans for health conditions, dietary requirements, and managing distress. Although staffing levels are generally sufficient, occasional gaps with senior night cover are being addressed, and while overall care is tailored, a few risk assessments needed more detail or updating.

Residents and relatives experience a caring atmosphere where staff communicate well, involve families in medication updates, and encourage independence and freedom of choice.

The home responds well to individual preferences and changing needs, supporting flexible visiting arrangements without restrictions and enabling residents to take trips out into the local community.

The home benefits from a visible and supportive manager who has created a positive workplace culture and actively seeks feedback, though further work is still needed to fully implement mental capacity assessment frameworks.