Kiwi House

Updated 12 January 2022

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 Care Act 2014.

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

This inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Kiwi 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.

The manager was in the process of applying with the Care Quality Commission to be the registered manager of Kiwi House at the time of the inspection. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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 partner agencies and professionals including the local authority. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service. We spoke with seven members of staff including the nominated individual, care manager, senior care workers, care workers, and kitchen assistant. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included the relevant parts of nine people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 12 January 2022

.Kiwi House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 78 younger and older people, some who were living with dementia. There were 48 people living at Kiwi House at the time of the inspection. The care home accommodates people across three separate floors. The service was purpose built as a care home to accommodate the needs of older people.

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

Risks were assessed and mitigated and reviewed regularly. People were kept safe from avoidable harm and medicines were managed safely.

There were enough suitably trained staff to meet the needs of those living at the service.

People’s independence was promoted where possible. 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.

Management oversight had continued to improve; The service had a care manager who understood the service and they had recruited a new manager who would be registering with the Care Quality Commission.

The provider was open and honest and acknowledged improvements were ongoing.

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 Requires Improvement (Published 5 October 2021)

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.

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.

The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires Improvement to Good. 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 Kiwi House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At our last inspection there were two continued breaches in Regulations 12 (Safe Care and Treatment) and 17 (Good Governance). . At this inspection we found enough improvement had been made and they were no longer in breach of Regulations.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.