Kahanah House

Updated 29 July 2021

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

The inspection was carried out by one inspector

Service and service type

Kahanah 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave one hour’s notice. This was because the service is small and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We looked around the house. We spoke with the deputy manager, three staff, and a health professional who was visiting the home at the time of our inspection. We looked at a range of documents including one care plan, staff rotas, training records, medicine administration records, and records relating to the safety of the property and equipment. We also observed a resident’s meeting that took place in the afternoon of our visit.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at staff records and quality assurance records. We contacted three relatives and two health and social care professionals for their views on the service. We also contacted a person who had lived at the service for a few weeks and left shortly before our visit.

Updated 29 July 2021

About the service

Kahanah House is a residential care home providing personal care to 6 people with mental illness or learning disabilities at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 8 people. Not all people required support from staff with their personal care although some needed prompting and minimal assistance at times.

The property is situated in the centre of Exmouth within easy walking distance of shops and local services. The home can accommodate six people in the main building and two people in a bungalow at the rear of the house.

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

People told us they were very happy living at Kahanah House and felt safe. A person told us, “I really love it. This is my home now.” Relatives and professionals also praised the service and told us they were confident people were safe and well cared-for. Comments included, “They are doing brilliantly” and “They are kind people. I can’t fault them.”

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who knew them well and understood how they wanted to be supported. People told us staff were always available when they needed support. Staff understood the risks to people’s health and well-being and kept these under review. Medicines were stored and administered safely. Staff followed good infection control procedures to ensure people were protected from the risk of infections including COVID 19.

Care plans were drawn up and agreed with people. The plans provided sufficient information to ensure staff understood each person’s individual health and personal care needs. Staff had the skills and training to meet each person’s needs. They received regular supervision and good support. People were supported to make decisions about all aspects of their lives.

The staff were caring and empathic and helped people to achieve positive outcomes. People were encouraged to lead active and fulfilling lives, and gain independence. Staff understood the things that people worried about, and the things that made them upset. Staff gave people opportunities to express their views and feelings, and were always willing to sit and listen, and offer reassurance.

The home was well-managed. There were systems in place to monitor the service, seek people’s views, and to make improvements where needed. The service worked closely with relatives and local professionals and services to ensure the best outcomes for each person.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People lived in a small group setting. The home is situated close to local services and amenities and people were able to access the community easily. People were supported to gain new skills and work towards gaining greater independence. They received support that was personalised to meet their individual needs.

Right support:

• Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights

Right culture:

• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 3 April 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection.

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.