CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Knebworth Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People said they felt safe, staff understood safeguarding procedures, medicines were managed correctly, and accidents and incidents were reviewed. Inspectors noted periods when no staff were present on the dementia unit, which could increase risks.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not rated during this inspection. The report says people were supported to have maximum choice and control, with staff acting in their best interests and using the least restrictive approach.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not rated during this inspection. Inspectors observed respectful, person-centred care, and people said staff were kind and listened to them.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not rated during this inspection. Care plans contained personalised information, and people and relatives could give feedback through meetings and surveys.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had quality checks, acted on shortfalls and shared learning from incidents. There had been management changes, but provider support was in place and feedback about the new manager was positive.
What inspectors found, December 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care, but staff were not always present on the dementia unit.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 21 November 2023. One inspector spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicine and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. People said they felt safe, staff were kind, medicines were managed correctly, and there were enough staff to meet needs in most situations.
Inspectors found some periods when no staff were present on the dementia unit. They said this could increase the risk of falls or difficult interactions between people. The management team said staff deployment would be reviewed immediately.
There had recently been changes in management. The new manager had only been in the home for two days during the inspection, but provider support was in place and staff gave positive feedback. The overall rating remained Good, following a focused inspection in 2021 that was not rated.
People felt safe
People and relatives said they were happy with the care and felt safe. Staff knew how to report safeguarding concerns.
“People and their relatives told us they were happy with the care provided and living at the service. They told us they felt safe.” from the report
Kind and person-centred care
Inspectors saw staff supporting people respectfully and without rushing. Staff understood people's individual needs.
“We saw people being supported well and spoken with respectfully.” from the report
Medicines managed well
The medicines and records checked were correct, and staff had training. Regular medicine audits were completed.
“We checked a random sample of medicines and records and found these were all correct.” from the report
Learning and oversight
The management team reviewed incidents, shared learning and used audits to identify and address shortfalls.
“Audits and quality checks were completed. These identified any shortfalls and addressed them swifty.” from the report
Staff presence on the dementia unit
needs fixingThere were periods when no staff were present on the dementia unit. Inspectors said this could increase the risk of falls or negative interactions, and the management team said staff deployment would be reviewed.
“However, we did note that on the unit where people were living with dementia, there were periods of time where no staff were present.” from the report
Recent management changes
needs fixingSome people, staff and relatives found the management changes unsettling. One relative also reported a period when their relative's care and support needs were not always met.
“However, 1 relative told us there had been a period of time in August and September where their relative's care and support needs were not always met.” from the report
- 01How do you ensure staff are always present on the dementia unit, including during busy periods?
- 02What checks are now made on staffing levels, staff deployment and how quickly call bells are answered?
- 03What happened during the period when a relative said their family member's care needs were not always met?
- 04Who is currently responsible for the home while the new manager's registration is being considered?
- 05How do you use incident, accident and complaint records to prevent the same problems happening again?
This was a focused inspection prompted by concerns about leadership, falls, incidents and staffing; only Safe and Well-led were rated, while the other ratings were not given in this report. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 December 2023 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.
What inspectors found, March 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection-control measures during a COVID-19 outbreak.
This was a targeted inspection on 18 March 2021. It looked at infection prevention and control because the home was managing a coronavirus outbreak.
Inspectors were assured that the home had up-to-date policies, safe admission and testing arrangements, effective use of PPE, and suitable cleaning and distancing measures. Staff worked in separate units to reduce the risk of infection spreading.
People were supported to stay in contact with others through activities, virtual contact and a visitor pod when visits were allowed. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Infection control
The home had an up-to-date infection-control policy and inspectors were assured that PPE was being used safely and effectively.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Outbreak management
The home used isolation, separate units and other controls to reduce the spread of infection during an outbreak.
“the home managed the outbreaks well and maintained strict processes to minimise the risk of others being affected.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the home clean, with cleaning taking place during the visit.
“The home was clean and there was cleaning ongoing during our visit.” from the report
Contact and activities
People continued to engage with staff and had support with activities and contact with family, despite restrictions.
“People were chatting and engaging with staff and this was not impacted by staff wearing masks.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you currently managing COVID-19 or other infection outbreaks?
- 02How do you support people who cannot safely isolate with their bedroom door fully closed?
- 03How are staff trained and checked in the safe use of PPE?
- 04How are visits and virtual contact with family arranged now?
- 05How do activities continue if people need to isolate or communal areas are restricted?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during a coronavirus outbreak, and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 March 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.
Every inspection of Knebworth Care Home
2 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- June 2018GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 February 2018.
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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