Kettonby Care Home

Updated 25 September 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was conducted by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Kettonby House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three relatives of people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, senior care workers and care workers. We observed care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and medication records. We looked at five staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 25 September 2019

About the service

Kettonby House is a residential care home providing personal care to five people aged under 65 at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to five people and specialises in supporting people with learning disabilities and those with autistic spectrum disorders.

The service is a detached property set in its own grounds off a private drive in a quiet residential area. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received warm, competent care and support and relatives spoke positively about staff and management.

Relatives told us people were safe and they were protected by staff who understood their responsibilities and how to keep people safe. People were protected from risks by detailed, regularly updated risk assessments.

People had comprehensive care plans which detailed their strengths and promoted their dignity and independence. Their communication needs were assessed and recorded in detail and staff were observed appropriately interacting with people.

Safe recruitment practices were followed. There were enough staff to meet people's needs. Staff were well trained and understood the needs of the people they supported. We observed that there was a relaxed atmosphere and people and staff had good, caring relationships.

The home was well equipped, clean and tidy and good infection control practices were being followed.

People took part in varied tailored activities and were supported to access the community. Visitors were encouraged and welcomed. The home had strong relationships with health and social care professionals. People had a healthy, varied diet and ate food they enjoyed.

People were mainly supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice although there were occasions this had not occurred.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

We have made a recommendation about the way the provider records actions taken in response to incidents.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (report published 6 January 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to obtaining lawful consent for care and treatment at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.