Kilmar House

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

The service was well-led and the roles and responsibilities of individual leaders were well understood by people, their relative’s and the staff team. Quality assurance systems were effective and leaders were well supported by the registered manager. The staff team were dedicated and there was a caring and compassionate culture within the service focused on meeting people’s needs. Feedback was encouraged and sough regularly. Any complaints or concerns received were investigated to identify any possible improvement that could be made to people’s experiences.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a caring and compassionate culture in the service and staff were fully focused on ensuring people’s needs were met. People told us, "The staff are very good, everybody is kind, I can’t complain about anything" and “We just did bingo just now, we had a game with balloons this morning. The staff are very good, nothing is too much trouble.” Staff enjoyed their roles and were confident their colleagues were also focused on delivering high quality care. Staff said, “I love it here, it does feel like a family” and the registered manager told us, “I have a cracking crew, the staff here are wonderful. They have a genuine interest in people.”

Relatives told us, “It is like a home should be, not a clinical institution” and “They all muck in together, all trying to make people lives as good as possible”. People living in the service were valued as individuals and their decisions and choices were respected. People’s care plans were accurate and provided staff with enough guidance to enable them to safely meet people’s needs. Care records demonstrated support had been provided as planned and people’s needs met.

The staff team were well motivated and focused on providing compassionate and effective care. Staff were complementary of their managers and told us, “[The registered manager] is a good boss, always fair, always kind” and “The managers are very helpful. [The deputy manager] is approachable and can go to [them] if [you] have any problems.” Relatives recognised and valued the care with which support was provided and commented, “This home with their kindness and their attention to detail, they come up with an answer for [My relatives] needs.”

The registered manager was taking a sabbatical and limiting their involvement in the day to day operation of the service. The deputy manager and head of care were jointly providing effective leadership to the staff team. With support and guidance from the registered manager when required.

The staff team were well supported and told us team meetings occur regularly. Staff were confident any issues or concerns they reported would be addressed by their leaders. People and their relatives knew how to raise complaints or concerns but commented they had nothing to complain about.

The provider's whistleblowing and safeguarding policies were designed to ensure any staff making appropriate disclosures about safety concerns were protected.

Staff told us they were treated fairly by their managers and protected from discrimination. Staff development was encouraged, and support provided to enable staff to achieve diploma level qualifications in care.

The provider’s systems were effective in protecting staff from discrimination and unfair treatment. When people complimented staff for their performance these reports were celebrated and rewarded.

People were complimentary of the service and the quality of care and support it provided. One person told us, “Kilmar house, I would recommend to anybody, there is nothing to find fault with.” Staff felt well supported and had a clear understanding of the specific roles and responsibilities of the senior staff team. They told us, “[The head of care] does all care and [the deputy manager] does the office side.” Senior staff spoke positively of the support and guidance they received from the registered manager. They told us, “The registered manager is brilliant to work for. Always answers my twenty thousand questions. [They] have been supportive.”

The service had effective quality assurance systems designed to monitor performance and identify any areas of possible improvements. Records showed planned audits had been completed and changes made in response to issues identified. Staff had received regular supervision and leaders engaged positively with local peer support networks to ensure they had a current understanding of best practice. The registered manager supported and encouraged development and training for all staff and was confident the service’s leaders were gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to manage the service independently.

People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them and desktop, laptop and tablet computers were available for people to use to access the internet or make video calls. Relatives and visitors were encouraged and made to feel welcome. Visiting during mealtimes, however, was discouraged to enable staff to focus on meeting people’s nutritional needs. Relatives were comfortable with this restriction and commented, “They ask us not to come at mealtimes but are very flexible.”

Staff were confident interacting with health service partners and told us, “We have a very good relationship with [the district nurses]” and “There is a phone call every day [with the GP practice] and they respond promptly when we call.”

Records demonstrated the service had appropriately supported people to access health care services when required. GP and district nurses visited the service regularly in response to people’s needs and arrangements were made for dental or optician appointments when required. Relatives told us, “I am confident with the care home they take the responsibility [for communicating with professionals] and deal with it.”

Records demonstrated the service had appropriately supported people to access health care services when required. GP and district nurses visited the service regularly in response to people’s needs and arrangement were made for dental or optician appointments when required. Relatives told us, “I am confident with the care home they take the responsibility [for communicating with professionals] and deal with it.”

People were involved in making decisions about how the service operated and what activities and events were planned. Staff told use “We had a residents’ meeting recently about Christmas plans. [People] have requested a bar and requested specific activities.” Leaders reported plans were being developed in response to the requests made.

The service valued and acted upon feedback received. A suggestion box was available to people using the service and surveys of people’s feedback were completed regularly. Responses to a recently completed survey were consistently positive and included, “The staff are very helpful, no complaints at all", "Everything is working wonderfully" and "I am very happy here and don’t want to be anywhere else." When complaints were infrequently received, they were investigated to identify learning and or improvement that could be made.