Archived: Kingston House

Kingston House is a supported living service. Kingston House is a collection of 30 self-contained flats with an adjoining central communal area for people to access. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to eight people all of whom had learning disabilities.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care, CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. Personal care is support related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence.

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

People were consulted regarding the development of their care, through reviews and surveys. The manager had implemented a new quality assurance system to better identify where improvements in care delivery are needed.

The manager told us they were working to develop a more open culture. The staff had a good level of training and were equipped to meet the needs of people using the service.

We found the care delivery was person-centred including involvement from people using the service. Communication was promoted to ensure people were able to effectively communicate and become involved in their care. The service promoted the maintenance and development of relationships of people with others of importance to them.

Professionals and relatives of people using the service told us people were safe. The service ensured staff were recruited safely and there were sufficient numbers of staff supporting people. The service managed risk in a proactive manner while allowing people using the service to continue with new experiences.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service did apply 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.

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 location was Good (published 06 May 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

The provider is registered to provide personal care to adults. People received their care and support within two supported living facilities within the community. Supported living enables people who need personal or social support to live in their own home supported by care staff instead of living in a care home or with their family. This was the first inspection of Jenson House since the provider re-registered with us with a new company name.

Our last inspection under the previous provider name was carried out on 21 July 2015. We judged one of the of the five questions we ask, Is the service caring? as good. The remaining four questions, is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service responsive? and is the service well-led? we judged to be ‘requires improvement’. This was because the provider had not ensured that recruitment systems prevented the possibility of the employment of unsuitable staff, that people were not being given their medicines as they had been prescribed and that people were not being protected from the risk of abuse. The provider had not ensured that a consistent service was provided, in that staff had not received formal supervision regularly, care plans were not reviewed when people’s care needs changed, people could not be assured that their complaints would be listened to and acted upon audit systems were not robust and had not identified where improvements were required to ensure people’s safety. Following our inspection the local authority had monitored the service. Their most recent monitoring visit highlighted that they were satisfied that improvements had been made. At this our most recent inspection, we also found improvements, had been made.

The previous registered manager had left in the summer of 2016. A new manager had been employed who told us they were to apply to us for registration as is required by law. The new manager was available on the day. 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 provider had policies in place and staff had received training on the procedure they should follow to ensure that any risk of harm and/or abuse was prevented. Risk assessments to maintain the safety of the people who used the service had been undertaken. Staff had been trained to manage medicines safely. Medicines were given to people as they had been prescribed. Sufficient staff were provided to meet people’s needs.

Staff had received the training they required to give them the knowledge they needed to support the people safely. The staff understood that people must receive care in line with their best interests and should not unlawfully restrict any person. People were encouraged to make decisions about their care. If they were unable to their relatives were involved in how their care was planned and delivered. The staff supported people appropriately with their nutritional needs. Meal options were offered to ensure that people’s food and drink preferences were catered for. Input from a range of external healthcare professionals was secured to meet people’s healthcare needs.

People and their relatives told us that staff were kind and caring. People’s privacy, dignity and independence was promoted and maintained.

People’s needs were assessed and reviewed. People engaged in recreational activities that they enjoyed. Complaints systems were in place for people and their relatives to raise their concerns or complaints if they had the need to.

People and their relatives were happy that a new manager had been employed and said that they were more assured that this would ensure better leadership consistency. The provider had worked hard to improve the service. Audits and checks were undertaken to ensure that the service was operated in the best interests of the people who used it.