Kitwood House Care Residence

Date of Assessment: Onsite 4 and 6 February 2025. Further information was reviewed remotely. Kitwood House Care Residence is a residential care home, providing personal and nursing care. The service can support up to 68 people across 4 units and specialises in providing care to people living with dementia. We undertook this assessment following concerns about poor care reported to the CQC At this assessment, the provider was found to be in breach of the legal regulation relating to safe care and treatment, consent to care and good governance. The provider did not adhere to the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. There was no evidence practical steps had been taken to support people in making decisions.Care plans were detailed, however for some people who had a deteriorating health condition there was not always guidance for staff on how best to provide support including the management of pain relief and symptoms to be aware of to recognise if the condition is deteriorating. Medicines were not always safely managed. For medicines that were given ‘when required’, protocols in place were not detailed, to advise staff on how much medication to administer and when. When people were assessed as requiring their medicines to be given covertly for example, in food or drink, the GP had been consulted however advice from a pharmacist was not obtained. Obtaining pharmacy advice is important as some medicines can become ineffective when mixed with certain food or drinks. This placed people at risk of not receiving their medication correctly and appropriately. Staff told us there were not enough staff to meet people’s needs. When a person required the use of restraint to protect their well-being and safety, there was not always a debrief. A debrief is important for peoples emotional and psychological wellbeing and to allow for learning and reflection. We observed positive interactions between staff and people who lived in the home. In instances where CQC have decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded.