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CQC report explained · a nursing home

What the CQC found at Kenton Manor

Goodpublished 17 October 2025, 11 months ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, March 2024

Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind care but inaccurate records and weak oversight led to two breaches.

This was an unannounced inspection on 25 January and 1 February 2024. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals. They reviewed six care plans, medicines records and other records about the home.

The home had enough staff, safe equipment and safe moving and handling. It was clean, visiting was unrestricted, and people and relatives described staff as kind and caring. Staff were trained and worked with health professionals when people needed help.

Inspectors found that records about falls, malnutrition, food and drink, care, consent and the home's quality checks were not always accurate or up to date. Records also did not show how the provider had followed its duty to be open and honest when things went wrong.

The overall rating fell from Good at the previous inspection to Requires Improvement. Safe, Effective and Well-led were all rated Requires Improvement. The provider must send an action plan, and CQC will monitor progress.

What inspectors praised
  • Kind and respectful care

    People, relatives and a health professional spoke positively about the caring nature of staff. Inspectors saw a positive atmosphere at the home.

    “There was a positive atmosphere at the home.” from the report
  • Staffing and training

    Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, including one-to-one support where required. Staff were trained and supported.

    “There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs.” from the report
  • Safe environment

    Checks and tests were carried out on the building and equipment. The home was clean and infection control procedures were followed.

    “Checks and tests were carried out to make sure the building and equipment was safe.” from the report
  • Working with health professionals

    Staff worked with other services to support people's health needs and sought medical reviews when concerns arose.

    “They appropriately raise concerns about residents who are unwell and seek medical review with appropriate urgency.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Risk records were not reliable

    serious

    Records about falls and malnutrition risks were not always accurate or up to date. This could make it harder to show how risks were being managed.

    “Records relating to the assessment of falls and malnutrition were not always up to date or accurate.” from the report
  • Nutrition and care records

    serious

    Some needs assessments contradicted each other. Records of people's food and drink intake and risk of malnutrition were not always accurate.

    “Some of these assessments were contradictory which could lead to confusion.” from the report
  • Quality checks missed problems

    serious

    The home's monitoring system did not identify all the problems with records, so improvements were not always made promptly.

    “The provider's quality monitoring system had not identified all the issues with the maintenance of records.” from the report
  • Duty of candour records

    serious

    Records did not show how the provider had met its legal duty to be open and honest after something went wrong.

    “Records did not demonstrate how the provider was meeting their responsibilities under the duty of candour.” from the report
  • Minor medicines issues

    minor

    Inspectors found some minor problems with medicines management. These were addressed immediately.

    “We identified some minor issues relating to the management of medicines which were immediately addressed.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01What changes have you made to ensure falls and malnutrition risk records are accurate and kept up to date?
  2. 02How do you check that food and drink records reflect what people have actually eaten and drunk?
  3. 03How are contradictory needs assessments found and corrected before they cause confusion?
  4. 04What checks now make sure the quality monitoring system identifies record-keeping problems promptly?
  5. 05What is the new duty of candour process, and how will you show families that it is followed when something goes wrong?

This was an unannounced inspection prompted by concerns about falls, staffing, moving and handling, meals and records; it looked at the premises and care, and the report gives ratings only for Safe, Effective and Well-led. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 March 2024 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.

An earlier report, explained

What inspectors found, June 2021

Kenton Manor is rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe care, but medicine records still needed review.

Inspectors visited on 29 April, 6 May and 14 May 2021. They reviewed care, medicines, staffing, records, the building and infection control. They spoke with relatives and staff and observed care in communal areas.

All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe premises, good infection control and kind interactions between staff and people.

The home had improved since its previous inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement. A new registered manager had made changes and the home was no longer in breach of the regulations identified previously.

Medicine management had improved, but some medicine care plans, 'as required' medicine instructions and records for thickeners still needed review. The manager acted during the inspection and introduced a new recording process for fluid thickeners.

What inspectors praised
  • Kind and respectful care

    Inspectors saw positive interactions and found that staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect.

    “People were treated well and supported by kind and caring staff.” from the report
  • Safe staffing and premises

    The home had enough staff to support people safely. Recruitment checks and environmental risk assessments were in place.

    “The premises were safe and there were enough staff to safely support people.” from the report
  • Personalised support

    Care plans reflected people's needs and choices. Staff used different ways to support communication and involved families in care planning.

    “People had personalised care plans which met their needs and choices.” from the report
  • Improved leadership

    Inspectors found better organisation and a more positive staff culture under the new manager. Quality checks were being used to monitor the service.

    “Since our last inspection there was a new registered manager in post who had made improvements throughout the service.” from the report
  • Activities and relationships

    People were supported with group and one-to-one activities and to maintain social relationships.

    “Activities are going on all day every day even at the weekend.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Medicine records needed more work

    needs fixing

    Some medicine care plans and 'as required' medicine protocols were not fully person-centred. Recording and guidance for fluid thickeners also needed improvement, although the manager acted during the inspection.

    “Further work was needed to ensure that care plans for medicines were person centred and that where people needed additional support the information within care plans was followed.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How have all medicine-related care plans been reviewed since the inspection?
  2. 02How are 'as required' medicines recorded and kept person-centred?
  3. 03How do staff record and monitor fluid thickeners now?
  4. 04How will you involve our relative and family in monthly care plan reviews?
  5. 05How can families give feedback or raise a complaint with the manager?

This was a follow-up inspection looking at action from the previous inspection and infection prevention and control, but the report gives ratings for all five key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 June 2021 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Kenton Manor

9 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.

  1. March 2024Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from Good
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read what inspectors found at Kenton Manor →

  2. June 2021Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Kenton Manor →

  3. September 2020Requires improvementup from Inadequate
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. March 2020Inadequatestayed Inadequate
    Safe: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. December 2019Inadequatedown from Requires improvement
    Safe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. November 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvement
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  7. November 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvement
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  8. December 2016Requires improvementdown from Good
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  9. July 2016Good
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  10. August 2014

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  11. August 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  12. December 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  13. December 2011

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  14. April 2011

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 April 2011.

Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.

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