Kenton Manor

Updated 28 March 2024

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.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Kenton Manor is a ‘care home.’ People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Kenton Manor is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

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 the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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 5 people, 8 relatives and 19 staff including the nominated individual, registered manager, operational support manager, clinical lead, nursing staff, senior care worker, care workers, agency care workers, head housekeeper, domestic staff, laundry assistant, head chef, regional chef manager and maintenance. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We also spoke with a behavioural support practitioner who was visiting the home at the time of the inspection and contacted a health professional for their feedback.

We reviewed 6 people’s care plans and records relating to medicines management. We also reviewed records relating to the management of staff and the home.

Updated 28 March 2024

About the service

Kenton Manor is a care home providing personal and nursing care to people aged 65 and over. The service can support up to 65 people. There were 60 people living at the home at the time of the inspection.

The home supports people living with dementia; however, the provider had not requested the service user band ‘dementia’ to be added to Kenton Manor. Service user bands are categories CQC use to identify a range of specialist ‘needs’ of people who will receive a service. The registered manager told us this would be addressed.

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

Whilst a system was in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service; records relating to the assessment of risk, people's nutritional intake and their care and support were not always accurate or up to date. Records also did not demonstrate how the provider was meeting their responsibilities under the duty of candour. The provider’s quality monitoring system had not identified all the issues with the maintenance of records.

Appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty. However, records relating to MCA and consent were not always well maintained. The registered manager told us this would be addressed.

Relatives considered people were safe at the home. One relative told us, “It’s by far the best home here. It’s safe and secure, problems are very rare.” Checks and tests were carried out to make sure the building and equipment was safe. Staff followed safe moving and handling procedures.

There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Where people required one to one support, this was provided. Due to the current workforce pressures in Adult Social Care, agency staff were sometimes used. We received some feedback around staff communication and language barriers. The nominated individual and registered manager were aware of this issue. We did not see any issues around communication or language barriers on the days of our inspection. We observed positive interactions between permanent staff, agency staff and people.

Staff were trained and supported to meet people’s needs. One relative told us, “Their (staff) qualities are being well trained and knowing what they are doing. They are friendly, have a laugh and crack on with their work. They are professional.”

There was a positive atmosphere at the home. People, relatives and a health professional spoke positively about the caring nature of staff. One relative told us, “It’s the love and care they give that stands out. It’s second to none. I wouldn’t take them (person) anywhere else.”

People and relatives told us they thought the home was well managed and communication was good. Comments included, “The home is run smoothly. The manager, she is good and very efficient” and “Once a month I get a phone call to see if I have any questions and I’m asked for any problems, but, there aren’t any.”

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 service was good (published 16 June 2021).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted due to concerns received about falls management, staff deployment, moving and handling procedures, the provision of meals and the maintenance of records. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe, effective and well-led key questions of this full report. The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘All inspection reports and timeline’ link for Kenton Manor on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We identified 2 breaches in relation to good governance and the duty of candour. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.