We carried out an unannounced inspection of the service on 14 December 2015.
Kirby House is a residential care home for up to 40 people. It provides services to people with dementia, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
It is a condition of registration that Kirby House has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider. At the time of our inspection, Kirby House had been without a registered manager for six months. The service was being managed by a manager who intended to apply to be a registered manager within a few weeks of our inspection.
People using the service were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Staff understood and practised their responsibilities to keep people safe without restricting their independence. People’s care plans included risk assessments of routines associated with their personal care and support. The care plans included guidance for staff about how to safely support people without restricting their independence.
The provider had recruitment procedures that aimed to ensure that only staff suitable to work at the service were employed. Enough staff were deployed to meet the needs of the people using the service.
People were supported to receive their medicine at the right times. Only staff trained in medicines management supported people with their medicines. Medicines were securely stored and there were safe arrangements for the disposal of medicines that were no longer required.
People were supported by staff who had the relevant training to understand their needs. Staff were supported through induction, training and supervision.
The manager had a working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff had awareness of the Act. They understood that care and support could only be provided if a person gave their consent, unless a person lacked mental capacity in which case decisions were made in a person’s best interests.
People were supported with their nutritional needs. They had a choice of nutritious meals. People with special nutritional requirements were appropriately supported. People were supported to access health services when they needed them.
Staff developed caring and understanding relationships with people using the service. People or their relatives were involved in decisions about their care. Staff supported people’s privacy and dignity.
People or their relatives contributed to the assessments of their needs. People’s needs were regularly reviewed. People were supported to maintain their hobbies and interests and had access to a range of stimulating and meaningful activities.
People’s care and support was based on their individual needs. Their preferences, likes and dislikes were taken into account.
People and their relatives knew how they could raise concerns. They were confident that any concerns they raised would be acted upon.
People using the service, their relatives and staff had opportunities to be involved in developing the service. Their feedback was acted upon. People and their relatives knew who the manager was and they told us the manager was approachable.
The manager regularly monitored the quality of the service. An area manager also carried out monitoring activity and supported the manager at Kirby House. Monitoring activity, which included seeking people’s feedback, was used to identify areas where the service could be improved.