Background to this inspection
Updated
6 October 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 3 inspectors.
Service and service type
Kew House is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
Registered manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
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 they registered with CQC. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 9 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with the deputy manager, 3 nurses, 11 care staff, including a senior care worker, a business administrator, a domestic/cleaner, and 2 catering staff, including the chef.
Records we looked at included 9 people’s electronic risk management plans and multiple mental capacity assessments and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), multiple electronic medicines records, and 6 staff files in relation to their recruitment.
We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI) during the serving of lunch on the first and second floors. SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not verbally communicate with us.
We also observed how staff interacted with people living in the care home more generally.
Following the inspection visit we requested some documents electronically. These included quality assurance checks, and records relating to the running of the service.
Updated
6 October 2023
About the service
Kew House is a residential care home that can provide nursing and personal care for up to 81 people in one adapted building. At the time of our inspection 69 older people were living at the care home, including people with residential and nursing care needs, and people living with dementia.
People’s experience of using this service
People living in the care home and relatives were positive about the standard of care provided at Kew House.
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.
People were kept safe, and were confident any concerns they raised would be listened to. Staff understood how to safeguard people. People were cared for and supported by staff who knew how to manage risks people might face. The premises were kept hygienically clean, and staff followed current best practice guidelines regarding the prevention and control of infection including, those associated with COVID-19. Medicines systems were well-organised, and people received their prescribed medicines as and when they should. The service was adequately staffed by people whose suitability and fitness to work at the care home had been thoroughly assessed.
People living at the care home, their relatives and staff working there were all complimentary about the way the service was managed, and how approachable the staff in-charge all were. The provider promoted an open and inclusive culture which sought the views of people living at the care home, their relatives, community health and social care professionals and staff working there. The provider worked in close partnership with various community health and social care professionals and agencies to plan and deliver people's packages of care and support.
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 outstanding (published 18 December 2019).
Why we inspected
We undertook this inspection to check whether the service was continuing to provide an outstanding rated service to people.
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 remains outstanding. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Kew House at www.cqc.org.uk.
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. If we receive any concerning information, we may inspect sooner.