Archived: Roy Kinnear House

Roy Kinnear House is a home for up to five people who have complex learning and physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were five people living in the home. There was a qualified nurse on duty at all times. The home had a manager who had recently been registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff had appropriate skills and training and were familiar with the needs, likes and dislikes of people using the service. Care and support were provided in a professional, supportive and compassionate way. The manager was able to demonstrate that the provider had sufficient systems, records and policies in place to ensure the service was safe and well-led. Care records showed us that people had their care and support needs met in an individual and personalised manner and that their health and social care was managed effectively.

People who lived at the home were protected from the risk of abuse happening to them. People did not communicate conversationally or in other conventional ways. However, throughout the inspection visit they were able to demonstrate through their body language and interaction with staff that they felt safe and well cared for.

We saw that people’s health and nutrition were regularly monitored. There were well established links with GP services and other community health services such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social services staff, dieticians and speech and language therapists.

Care records were individual to each person and contained information about people’s life history, their likes and dislikes, and information which would be helpful to hospitals or other health support services.

Staffing levels were managed flexibly to suit people's needs so that people received their care when they needed it. Staff rotas ensured that people who required one to one support or greater received the correct level of support. Staff had access to information, support and training that they needed to do their jobs well. The provider’s training programme was designed to meet the needs of people using the service so that staff had the knowledge and skills they required to care for people effectively.

Staff understood the requirements of legislation relating to the need for people to give consent and to act in their best interests when consent could not be given. People were involved in day to day decisions about their care and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Health Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

There was an open and inclusive atmosphere in the service. Staff told us they found the management team to be approachable and supportive and felt able to challenge when they felt there could be improvements. Feedback from relatives and other external contacts was also positive, with people feeling welcomed in the home, staff having time to talk and a manager who was approachable and accessible.

Some relatives felt that there needed to be improvements in the quality of communication between the home and families in order to ensure that events and incidents were reported speedily and that all necessary items were checked prior to people leaving to spend time with family.

The provider carried out regular audits to monitor the quality of the service and to plan improvements. Action plans were used so the provider could monitor whether necessary changes were made.