Kittens Lane

Updated 18 May 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Kittens Lane is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (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. The registered manager is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did:

Prior to the inspection we gathered all the information we held about the service and used it to develop a plan for the inspection. We reviewed information provided to us from the Local Authority contract teams and information we received from the provider by way of notifications.

Notifications are required by law and identify incidents that had happened in the service and the actions taken in response. We used the information sent to us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

People could not always readily tell us about their experiences. We observed the way people interacted with the management team and staff.

We looked at the care records of three people who used the service, including risk assessments, care plans and records relating to medicines administration.

We spoke with the registered manager, four members of staff and a relative. We received electronic feedback from four relatives, a member of staff and four community professionals.

We reviewed information the service held about how they monitored the service they provided and assured themselves it was meeting the needs of the people they supported. This included audits, staff training and recruitment records.

Updated 18 May 2019

About the service:

Kittens Lane is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Kittens Lane accommodates up to 10 people with a learning disability and complex needs in two self-contained bungalows. During our comprehensive unannounced inspection on 10 April 2019, there were 10 people living there.

This care service supported people in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidelines. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

People’s experience of using this service:

Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from abuse, harm and discrimination.

Staff continued to be recruited safely and received on-going support and training to be competent in their roles.

People were protected from harm by effective systems in place to monitor medicine management, staffing, infection control and the upkeep of the premises.

People’s nutritional and hydration needs were met.

The service worked well with other organisations to ensure people had joined up care. Community professionals made positive comments about the service provided to people.

People’s independence was encouraged, their privacy respected, and their dignity maintained.

The way staff interacted with people had a positive effect on their well-being. People using the service appeared comfortable in the presence of staff.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People’s care records were detailed and up to date. They were reviewed with the person and their relatives where possible. They reflected people’s needs with their end of life wishes documented.

People had a variety of activities which they enjoyed on a regular basis and had opportunities to maintain positive links with their community.

People and relatives' views were sought, and opportunities taken to improve the service.

Formal supervision meetings were carried out with staff. They told us they were supported and clear about what was expected of them.

There was a complaints procedure in place and people’s concerns were addressed.

The service had systems to continuously monitor, assess and improve the service provided.

Rating at last inspection:

We inspected Kittens Lane on 21 October 2016 and published our report on 5 December 2016. We rated the service overall good. Safe, effective, caring and responsive were rated good and well led was rated requires improvement.

Why we inspected:

We inspected this service in line with our inspection schedule for services currently rated as good.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor this service and plan to inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule for those services rated good.

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