Keele House

Updated 29 October 2022

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.

Inspection team

This inspection was completed by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Keele House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Keele House 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 a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people and six relatives about their experiences of the service. We spoke with six staff including the registered manager, nominated individual and care staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We spoke with one health care professional.

We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records, multiple medication records and two staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including checks and audits were reviewed.

Updated 29 October 2022

About the service

Keele House is a residential care home which provides personal care for up to 31 people. The service provides support to older people, people living with dementia and a person with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were 25 people using the service.

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

People told us they felt safe at Keele House and there was a homely atmosphere. One person told us, “ They are very, very good. They look after me. They are exceptional”.

The provider had taken effective action since the last inspection to improve the quality of care people received. Effective checks and audits were now completed regularly and any shortfalls were addressed. A registered manager had been appointed and they led the staff team to provide a good standard of care. Staff were motivated and felt appreciated. People, their relatives and staff were asked for their feedback on the service and this was acted on. Relationships between the staff and health care professionals had improved.

Risks to people were assessed and care was planned to keep people safe while supporting them to remain as independent as possible. Medicines were managed safely and medicines records had improved. When accidents or incidents occurred, action was taken to reduce the risk of them happening again. There were enough staff, who had been recruited safely to meet people’s needs. Staff followed safe infection control processes.

People were protected from the risks of harm and abuse. Staff knew how to identify and share any concerns they had. Concerns raised had been listened to and acted on. 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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

Staff knew people well and had taken time to get to know them. People’s wishes and preferences were respected. Staff reassured people when they were anxious. People had privacy and were supported to remain independent.

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

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 9/11/21).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We received information from the local authority that the service had improved and an increase in the provider’s rating would improve capacity in the local market. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, caring and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.