CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Kensington Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2020
The Kensington Care Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection prevention and found good practice during lockdown.
Inspectors visited the home on 20 August 2020. This was an announced, targeted inspection during the coronavirus pandemic. It looked only at infection prevention and control.
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely, following social distancing and shielding rules, and managing testing, visitors and admissions safely. They were also assured about the home's cleaning, layout and infection control policy.
The home kept activities going during lockdown and supported people who needed to isolate. This report does not give an overall quality rating, and the Safe question was inspected but not rated.
Support with isolation
Staff supported people with their care and social needs when they had to isolate. They used individual approaches when someone found it hard to remember the need to isolate.
“People who were having to isolate were supported by assigned staff who ensured their care and social needs.” from the report
Controlled staff movement
The home's layout allowed staff to be assigned to particular areas and staircases. This helped the home control and trace staff movement.
“The home's layout was such that staff could be assigned to specific areas, even down to which staircase each unit's staff used” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now for visitors?
- 02How do you support people who need to isolate but may not remember why?
- 03How are staff movements controlled and traced between different areas of the home?
- 04How do you provide activities and social contact for people who cannot leave the home?
- 05How often are your infection prevention and control policies reviewed?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it was not a full inspection and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 September 2020 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, November 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some medicines records needing improvement.
Inspectors visited on four days in August 2018. The first visit was unannounced. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals, observed care, and checked care records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, suitable risk assessments, safe medicines systems, good infection control and detailed care records.
People were supported with meals, healthcare, activities and personal choices. Staff treated people with kindness and respect. The home had systems for handling complaints, gathering feedback and checking the quality of care.
Some improvements were still needed in medicines documentation. The provider also agreed to check whether GP advice was needed for maximum doses and other details for homely remedies.
Safe moving and handling
The earlier concerns about moving and positioning had been addressed. Inspectors saw staff use correct techniques and ask people for permission before helping them move.
“At this inspection we found care staff used correct moving and positioning techniques.” from the report
Calm mealtimes
People received the help they needed to eat and drink. They could choose where to eat and were offered meal choices.
“At this inspection we found people were given the support they needed during mealtimes and that mealtimes were a calm and enjoyable experience for people.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported their privacy, dignity, independence and choices.
“We observed kind and caring interactions between people and care staff and overheard conversations that demonstrated that staff knew people well.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The provider used daily, weekly and monthly checks to identify issues and follow up actions. Feedback from residents and relatives was also reviewed.
“The provider had thorough quality monitoring systems in place to support the delivery of an effective service.” from the report
Homely remedies
needs fixingThe report says GP approval had not been obtained for maximum doses, frequency or the route of administration for homely remedies. The provider agreed to look into this and obtain advice where needed.
“We found the provider's use of homely remedies, did not have GP approval of maximum doses, frequency or route of the medicine.” from the report
Topical medicine records
needs fixingSome topical medicine charts were not completed consistently. One cream did not have an opening date, and details about location and frequency were missing for prescribed creams.
“We also identified that topical medicine administration charts were not signed consistently.” from the report
- 01How were the medicines recording issues identified in the report corrected and checked afterwards?
- 02What GP advice is now in place for homely remedies, including maximum doses, frequency and route of administration?
- 03How do you make sure topical medicine charts include the body location, frequency and opening date?
- 04What staffing levels are planned for the unit where four care workers raised concerns about staffing numbers?
- 05How are residents and relatives currently involved in reviewing meals, activities and the care provided?
This inspection looked at the premises and care, assessed all five CQC questions and considered the overall quality of the service. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 November 2018 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 The Kensington Care Home
4 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- September 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2015Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 21 March 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Kensington and Chelsea
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,270 a week. 79 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“The quality of life that she's given my parents has been priceless. The peace of mind she's given my sisters and I, through a very difficult time, has been invaluable.”
“The interaction she gives my mother is incredible, singing, dancing, taking her to groups, on plenty of walks which mum always loves.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.