Membership review for Fairfield House

The membership review is intended to reflect the experiences of the visitor who might be looking for a placement. The review is subjective, consistent and impartial, representing the impressions of our team member on the day of the visit.  It is a snapshot view only.

The contents of this review are intended to cover some of the subjects and issues which an individual, their relatives or their placement officer might ask.

This review has been published with the written agreement of the home owner, or an authorised representative of the company. 

“I met with most of the residents who all seemed happy with their surroundings and programmes and were enjoying good interaction with the staff members who spoke to them with respect and affection. “

Summary of Findings

Fairfield House is a small residential home with 7 beds providing a home for adults with autistic spectrum disorder.  It is part of the Senad Group.

I was welcomed by the Residential Manager, Heather Griffiths, who gave up considerable time showing me around the home and explaining the systems in place. Heather joined the Senad Group over thirteen years ago as a support worker and has worked her way through the ranks to her position as manager.

Fairfield House opened in 2005 and was fully occupied with six gentlemen and one lady at the time of my visit

Introduction

I was impressed with the service and the friendliness of the staff and felt confident that a good service was being offered.

The residents, whose ages ranged from 25 to 41 years, and comprised of six gentlemen and one lady Each had a significant learning disability.  Fairfield House provided a home for life providing that it was able to cater for any mobility issues.  At the time of my visit they were unable to provide a service for wheelchair bound residents although I was told that this was under review.First Impressions

I approached Fairfield House via a long, single tracked road and was immediately impressed by the location.  It sits in the heart of the Shropshire countryside and has a back drop of a beautiful range of hills, the main one being the Clee.

The grounds covered several acres surrounded by unobtrusive wire fencing.  Locked, double gates guarded the entrance of the home and a sign telling the caller to ring one of two telephone numbers drew the attention of the staff.  I was greeted cordially and invited to sign a visitors’ book.  I was then shown around the back of the main building to a purpose-built office where I was introduced to Heather.

As we talked I could see residents and staff cycling and roller balling around the grounds.

The External Environment

Set in the wonderful Shropshire countryside, the grounds were extensive.  The area immediately outside of the house was landscaped and there were some colourful beds and pots with attractive displays of flowers.  Mostly the gardens were laid to lawn. To one side of the property the grounds were built in to the hillside and it would take some energy to climb up to the boundary or to the training-cum-visiting room built at the top.  The view at the top was well worth the climb.

There was lighting and seating around the landscaped area. 

The area surrounding the garden was farmland, until recently loaned to a local farmer for his sheep to graze. At the time of my visit it consisted of long grass with shorter grass around the perimeter for the residents to walk.  

A chicken coup and rabbit’s hutch sat side by side close to the gate.  One resident, who regarded the chickens as her own, visited the coup several times a day to check for eggs.

Two large sheds served as a laundry room and storage area for the bikes and skates.

The Internal Environment

The home smelt clean and fresh and the decorations were well maintained and low arousal. The communal rooms were of good proportions and there were plenty of areas for someone with anxieties to withdraw.

The main feature was the large conservatory.  There was plenty of space for a large dining table and still room for settees and armchairs.  The conservatory was air conditioned.  The furnishing throughout was robust and in good condition.

The kitchen, which was modern, clean and well-equipped was kept locked when not in use for reasons of safety.  Residents did use it under supervision to help prepare simple snacks and drinks.

All bedrooms had an en-suite bathroom, robust furniture and were personalised to the taste of the individual.  I was told that individuals living at Fairfield House could choose the colours of the furnishings and paint if they wished.   The female resident was very proud to show me her lilac room with plum coloured cushions and curtains.

The Wider Environment

Fairfield House is located near the Shropshire and Herefordshire borders, between Ludlow and Tenbury Wells being less than 5 miles in either direction. The nearest rail station is Kidderminster.

The Midlands is within easy distance by rail or motorway offering a full range of leisure facilities if required.

The home itself had use of two vehicles, an estate car and a people carrier – very necessary as there was only one public transport bus per week in the area.  Three staff members were allocated the role of ensuring that staff were tested before being allowed to drive the residents.

Understanding Autism

Throughout the house there were symbols on boards and notices in a format to suit the needs of the individuals.  Each individual had a programme of activity. 

Of the residents, only two had verbal communication and the others communicated with the aid of Makaton, PECS or objects of reference.  They had limited ability to understand these however.  

Fairfield House had no vacancies at the time of my visit.  The procedure for admission though was designed to reduce anxieties for the individual.  Once a referral had been received, the registered manager and the quality assurance manager visited the individual to assess his or her needs.  Transition would take place at a pace to suit the individual and could include several pre-admission visits if that was appropriate to ensure a smooth admission.

A keyworker would be appointed once it was established which staff member had the best rapport with the resident.

Care plans were reviewed as necessary with Positive Behavioural Support Plans reviewed at least 3 monthly, and were attended by all staff levels, social workers and family members.

Risk assessments were reviewed at least 6 monthly.

Residents were involved in planning their own future as far as possible although due to the nature of their learning disability, this was extremely limited.

Health and Wellbeing

All residents were registered with the local general practice of whom the manager spoke extremely highly.  Professional support also came from the psychologist employed by the Senad Group who visited on request, and the local NHS psychiatrist also visited the home monthly.

Residents were encouraged to eat a healthy diet and were able to choose from a range of meals which were written on cards and put in a bucket.  They then were invited to select from the bucket.  Food regarded treats such as fish and chips were kept to a minimum. Medication was kept in a locked cupboard within a small locked room. I was very impressed by the system in place to dispense the medication to ensure that mistakes could not take place or liquids spilt if the staff member was distracted or bumped into.   This involved putting medication in a small plastic cup, together with a photo of the resident and then into a plastic box with a lid.  An excellent idea.

Medication is audited by staff within the home on a weekly basis and by Boots the Chemist six monthly.

Separate prescriptions were issued for home leave medication which was dispensed in a cartridge, signed for by parents and checked by staff on return.

Individuals in the Home

Each of the residents had a severe learning disability in addition to autism. They also exhibited challenging behaviour.

At the time of my visit the ratio of males to females reflected the average for individuals with autism.  

I met with most of the residents who all seemed happy with their surroundings and programmes and were enjoying good interaction with the staff members who spoke to them with respect and affection. 

Not all of the residents had had their mental capacity assessed by the time of my visit though this was said to be in hand.  This was the responsibility of the residents’ local authority.

Staffing

In this rural area recruitment had presented some difficulties as all staff needed to drive or, at least, had transport available to them. Some staff had been with the company since Fairfield House opened.

Recruitment involved an initial interview by telephone followed by a face to face interview in which written scenarios were given for the prospective staff member to answer.  Successful candidates were then required to provide two references from a previous employer and three character references together with a satisfactory DRB check before commencing induction training.

Induction training consisted of the statutory subjects of: health and safety; fire safety; first aid, epilepsy management; mental capacity, deprivation of liberty and others.

New staff were then expected to shadow experienced staff members over 5 – 7 shifts before working with the residents alone.

The Management of the Home

The registered manager Heather told me she had an open door policy in which staff could talk to her at any time if they had pressing concerns.  She, in turn, received good support from staff at Head Office should she need it.

Heather told me that if she had requests for improvement to her service, these were listened to and usually granted.

Heather had worked her way up through the company ranks and had attained her Registered Manager’s Award and NVQ level 5.  Her deputies were all trained to NVQ level 3 as the minimum.

Supervisions took place monthly; the registered manager supervised her deputies and they supervised the remaining staff.  Team meetings took place after 6 – 7 shifts and the full team met up every 3 months.  Hourly handovers took place between shifts every day.

A few days before my visit Fairfield House had had an unannounced inspection which had found them compliant in all areas.  They still awaited the written report.

Conclusion

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Fairfield House and received an impression of a well-organised, well-supported service.

I would like to extend my thanks to Heather and her team, together with the residents, who ensured my visit was a pleasant one, and to wish them continued success for the future.

 

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Visiting Officer: Pat Clendining
Director of Assessments, Living Autism