Archived: Kingarth

Updated 18 January 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 7 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection.

Updated 18 January 2022

This comprehensive inspection took place on 23 and 24 April 2018 and was unannounced. The last comprehensive unannounced inspection of Kingarth took place in September 2016 when we found it was in breach of Regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations, Good Governance. This was because improvements were needed in relation to quality monitoring to ensure that risk assessments, staff training and supervision were up to date.

We carried out an announced focused inspection on May 2017 when we found that although some improvement had been made there was a continuing breach in good governance at the service.

At this inspection we found the breach was met.

Kingarth 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.

Kingarth provides support for up to seven people who have a learning disability who may at times present behaviour, which can challenge others. At the time of our visit, six people were using the service with a seventh person visiting with a view to move into the home.

The service offered by Kingarth is consistent with the aims of Building the Right Support. The bespoke environment and specialist skill set of the staff team enable people with learning disabilities and very complex needs to live in a community setting.

A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was also one of the registered providers for the home.

People told us they had no concerns about their safety in Kingarth. People were cared for in a safe and clean environment.

The people who used the service and staff felt safe and there were clear processes in place for safeguarding people from abuse.

Staff had been safely recruited and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs.

Detailed risk management plans were in place to guide staff on the action to take to mitigate the identified risks, which were kept under regular review.

Systems were in place to help ensure the safe administration of medicines, including where people who used the service took responsibility for their own medicines.

People were supported to make their own decisions and choices within any restrictions that were in place.

People were encouraged to eat a healthy diet. People chose what they wanted to eat and bought, prepared and cooked their own meals.

The property was large and spacious, whilst retaining a homely feel.

Staff closely monitored people’s physical health and wellbeing. The staff team worked closely with other health and social care professionals to help maintain this.

People spoke positively about the relationships they had with the staff team. The atmosphere was relaxed, calm and friendly.

People were involved in developing their care plans, which were person-centred and kept under reviewed.

Staff received positive behavioural support training to help them support people effectively.

People had busy and active lifestyles with support from the staff team. Independence was promoted. People were involved in all household activities, for example, cleaning the home, cooking and laundry.

People lived closer to their families and relationships with them were encouraged wherever possible.

There was a system in place for managing complaints in the service. We saw that people’s views had been taken seriously and acted upon in order to improve their experience in the service.

There were processes in place to ensure regular audits and governance of the service.