Archived: Kents Oak Rest Home

Updated 2 June 2018

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 30 April 2018 and 2 May 2018. The first day of our inspection was unannounced and the second day announced.

Kents Oak Rest Home 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.

The home accommodates 13 people in one adapted building. At the time of the inspection 11 people were living there. The inspection was carried out by two adult social care inspectors.

Before the inspection, we looked at information we held about the provider and home. This included their Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service. Providers are required to send us a PIR at least once annually to give us some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements that plan to make. We also contacted one general practitioner (GP) and two health and social care professional to obtain their views on the delivery of care.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, nominated individual, three care staff, activities organiser, and two chefs. We also spoke with six people living at the home. We looked at the provider’s records. These included four people’s care records, four staff files, staff attendance rotas, audits, staff training and supervision records, accident and incident records and a selection of the provider’s policies.

Some people were not able to verbally communicate their views with us or answer our direct questions. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 2 June 2018

Kents Oak Rest Home is a residential care home and provides accommodation for up to 13 people older people and those living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 11 people were living at the home. Accommodation is provided within a large detached house with communal areas, lounge, conservatory, dining area, kitchen and a secure garden to the rear of the property. The home is located in a rural area two miles from the town of Romsey, Hampshire. People’s private rooms are on both the ground and first floors. There is a stair lift to the first floor. The service is not registered to provide nursing care.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

We last inspected this service on 24 April 2017 and found the provider was in breach of two regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We issued requirement notices in respect of those breaches.

Following our inspection the provider sent us an action plan on 31 May 2017 to tell us about the actions they were going to take to meet these regulations and make the necessary improvements. At this inspection we found action had been taken to meet the requirements of the regulations the service had breached.

The provider had taken appropriate steps to protect people from the risk of abuse, neglect or harassment. Staff were aware of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

Where people lacked the mental capacity to make decisions the home was guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure any decisions were made in the person’s best interests.

People received their medicines safely, accurately, and in accordance with the prescriber’s instructions. Medicines were stored safely.

Assessments were in place to identify risks that may be involved when meeting people’s needs. Staff were aware of people’s individual risks and were knowledgeable about strategies’ in place to keep people safe.

People were supported to maintain good health and have access to healthcare services. The home worked in partnership with a local GP practice and received regular visits and support.

The provider operated safe and effective recruitment procedures.

There were sufficient numbers of qualified, skilled and experienced staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Staff were not hurried or rushed and when people requested care or support this was delivered quickly.

Staff received supervision and appraisals were on-going, providing them with appropriate support to carry out their roles. Training records showed that staff had received training in a range of areas that reflected their job roles.

People and where appropriate their relatives were involved in their care planning, Care plans were amended to show any changes, and care plans were routinely reviewed to check they were up to date.

Care plans were developed and maintained about every aspect of people’s care and were centred on individual needs and requirements. This ensured that the staff were knowledgeable about the person and their individual needs.

Staff responded appropriately to accidents or incidents. Staff recorded all accidents and incidents and the registered manager responded appropriately and further actions were taken to prevent incidents reoccurring.

People knew who to talk to if they had a complaint. Complaints were passed on to the registered manager and recorded to make sure prompt action was taken and lessons were learned which led to improvement in the service.