- Care home
Kingston House
Report from 28 February 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Kingston House provides regulated activity of Accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care for up to 46 people. The service provides support to people over 65 years, people living with dementia people with physical disability. At the time of our assessment there were 36 people using the service. We carried out a site visit at the service on the 1, 6 and 12 March 2024. Governance systems were not effective in assessing, monitoring and mitigating risks or improving the quality and safety of the service. Some risk assessments were inaccurate or lacking details, audits were not identifying improvements needed and action was not always being taken to keep people safe from harm. This was a breach of Regulation 17 (good governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Staff told us there were times when there were not enough staff. The provider told us they would review staffing levels in response to our feedback. Staff had been recruited safely and provided with training. Staff understood their role in safeguarding people from harm and guidance on reporting concerns was available on notice boards. People had been assessed before they moved into the service so staff could make sure people’s needs could be met. Transition records were available if people needed to go into hospital for any reason. This helped healthcare professionals to know people’s needs. Staff received training on how to manage medicines safely and we found people had their medicines as prescribed. Staff did tell us they were concerned about the length of time the morning medicines round took to complete. We shared this feedback with the provider who told us they would review the process. Health and safety checks had been carried out and equipment was being maintained.
People's experience of this service
People told us they felt safe at the service. Comments from people included, “I do feel quite safe here because I know I can always talk to the boss” and “I feel very safe, not worried, I can lock my door at night.” People knew who to talk with if they were worried about anything. One person said, “There is a very good set of staff and I do talk to them if I am worried about anything.” Overall people and relatives thought there were enough staff, however some people said they did have to wait at times for assistance. Comments about the staffing numbers from people included, “Lots of carers about if you need help, never waiting too long” and “During the day there are enough [staff] but the evenings are a bit quieter. You choose your time if you want attention, generally staffing ok at weekends." One relative told us, “There is not enough staff. They have a core of regular staff, people [relative] knows and trusts, but they are getting more agency staff in the day.” People told us they found the permanent staff to be kind and caring. Comments from people about the staff approach included, “Staff are always caring and kind, do anything you need doing and are friendly” and “The staff are wonderful. I know the regular staff by name, they know me and get anything you need. Wonderful how staff all work together, all change jobs and help, every one of them is caring and kind, cleaners and all.” People and some relatives had different views about the agency staff used and felt some were not as trained as they could be. People told us they had access to healthcare when needed. People told us, “The doctor comes in every Friday, he’s good to people who need him” and “The district nurse comes in and checks in the evenings sometimes and the chiropodist checks my feet. I see the GP, comes in every week.” Overall people told us they enjoyed living at Kingston House. One person said, “Life is very good here.”