Archived: 16 Kings Road

Updated 9 June 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

16 Kings Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under 1 contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. 16 Kings Road is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. A new manager had been in post for 3 months and was planning to apply to register.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 18 April 2023 and ended on 12 May 2023. We visited the location’s service on 18, 25 and 26 April 2023 and 5 May 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and received feedback from 4 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We looked at 4 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 also reviewed. We spoke with 5 members of staff including the area manager, the manager, and 3 care workers.

Updated 9 June 2023

About the service

16 Kings Road is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 6 people. The service provides support to autistic people and younger adults who may have a learning disability, sensory impairment, or a mental health condition. At the time of our inspection there were 6 people using the service.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people, respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Based on our review of key questions safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led, the provider was unable to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.

Right Care: People were at risk of harm because medicines were not always managed safely. Staff were not always recruited safely and did not always have the correct training. People's support plans reflected their range of needs, and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life. People took part in activities and pursued interests that were tailored to them, however, the lack of drivers at the service meant people were not always supported to access their local amenities as often as they would like. People had privacy for themselves and their visitors in their bedrooms.

Right Support: People were 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. Some staffs understanding of the Mental Capacity Act was limited, we made a recommendation about this.

Right Culture: The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people using the service led confident, inclusive, and empowered lives. Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect, and inclusivity.

Quality assurance systems did not always identify concerns we found on inspection.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

This service was registered with us on 1 December 2020, and this is the first inspection.

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 1 November 2018.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Enforcement and Recommendations

Staff did not always understand the MCA, we made a recommendation about this.

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, recruitment, and staff training 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 from 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 continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.