Kitnocks House

Updated 5 May 2026

We carried out this inspection from 8 May to 19 June 2026. This inspection was prompted due to the high volume of notifications. The service is a residential care home with nursing, providing support to people living with dementia and people with physical and mental health conditions. People living at the care home had complex support needs in relation to their diagnosis. At the time of the inspection there were 60 people using the service.

The provider had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks, including when people became distressed. People received their oral medicines as prescribed. Managers made sure staff received training and regular support to maintain good-quality care.

Records relating to people’s care and staff recruitment were not always complete or up to date. The provider took action to start addressing these concerns during our inspection and to strengthen their quality monitoring processes.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The provider supported staff wellbeing.

People knew how to give feedback and were confident the provider took it seriously and acted on it. People received fair and equal care and treatment and were involved in planning their care.

Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable, and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities.

Updated 5 May 2026

Due to communication barriers, we were not always able to speak directly with individuals using the service. To form our judgement, we conducted structured observations of the care and support being delivered. This approach showed people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. Relatives felt able to complain and were confident action would be taken, and felt improvements would be made. People knew staff and leaders well and reacted positively to them.

People’s relatives were mostly positive about the quality of their care. They told us they were involved in planning their care and understood their rights. Some relatives had concerns about injuries caused by other people using the service. The registered manager told us how they were mitigating the risks to people. Most relatives described how staff treated people kindly and made sure any personal care was done sensitively, preserving their privacy and dignity. The registered manager told us they provided good activities which supported people to keep physically and mentally active.