Kenilworth Care Home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three people who have a learning disability.

The premise is presented across two floors with access to the first floor via stairs. People’s bedrooms are single occupancy. Communal space consists of two lounge areas and dining room/kitchen. There is a private garden with a patio at the rear of the property.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The home was well decorated and adapted to meet people’s needs. Flooring was smooth and uncluttered to aid people’s mobility needs. The home had a homely feel and reflected the interests and lives of the people who lived there.

The inspection took place on 22 March 2016 and was unannounced.

There was positive feedback about the home and caring nature of staff from people who live here. One person said, “All the staff are very kind to us.”

People were safe at Kenilworth Care Home. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet the needs and preferences of the people that lived there. One person said, “There are always enough staff here to help me if I need it.” Staffing levels changed to reflect the support needs of people.

Risks of harm to people had been identified and clear plans and guidelines were in place to minimise these risks, without restricting people’s freedom. A staff member said, “It’s about not stopping people from doing what they want to do, but to lessen the risk to them.” Staff understood their duty should they suspect abuse was taking place, including the agencies that needed to be notified, such as the local authority safeguarding team or the police.

The provider had carried out appropriate recruitment checks to ensure staff were suitable to support people in the home. Staff received a comprehensive induction and ongoing training, tailored to the needs of the people they supported.

People received their medicines when they needed them. Staff managed the medicines in a safe way and were trained in the safe administration of medicines.

In the event of an emergency people would be protected because there were clear procedures in place to evacuate the building. Each person had a plan which detailed the support they needed to get safely out of the building in an emergency. An alternative location for people to stay was also identified in case the home could not be used for a time.

People had the capacity to understand and make decisions about their care and support. The registered manager and staff had a good knowledge of what would need to be done if people did not have the capacity to understand or consent to a decision. They would then follow the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). An appropriate assessment of people’s ability to make decisions for themselves had been completed. Staff were heard to ask people for their permission before they provided care.

As people had capacity to make decisions for themselves their liberty had not been restricted to keep them safe. The Staff and management had a good understanding of the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), so if a person’s capacity changed they would know what to do to ensure the person’s rights were protected.

People had enough to eat and drink, and received support from staff where a need had been identified. Staff had a good understanding of specialist diets that people were on to ensure people could eat and drink safely, and still enjoy their meals.

People were supported to maintain good health as they had access to relevant healthcare professionals when they needed them. When people’s health deteriorated staff responded quickly to help peop

During our visit we met and spoke with three people who used the service and asked them about the service they received. We also spoke with the provider, registered manager and two care staff.

Our observations of staff practice showed that people were receiving effective, safe and appropriate care, which was designed to meet their specific needs. We saw that people felt comfortable in approaching staff and asking for assistance. People were relaxed and content in their surroundings. Staff engaged positively with people using the service to encourage them to communicate their consent, wishes and choices.

Three people we spoke with told us that they were happy with the care and support they received. One person told us, “I feel like living here and staff are kind to me to me.” Another person said, "The food is very nice and staff support me with my medication."

People used the service told us that staff treated them with respect and promoted their privacy. They told us they felt they would be listened to if they raised any concerns.

People who used the service told us that they have no reasons to complain and if they had they would tell staff.

On the day of our visit we saw one person was working on a puzzle and another returned back from a morning walk.

Staff told us that they have received regular training and that they felt confident to carry out their roles and meet the needs of people using the service.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

There was an effective complaints system available.

We found that the provider had a system in place to monitor the quality of the service they provided and we found that people were generally satisfied with the care and treatment they received.

We spoke with three people who used the service. They all told us that they were very happy with the care and support that they received.

People told us that there were enough staff to support them. They also said that their privacy was respected. One person told us that they had a key for their bedroom and the front door.

People were consulted about their views. A person who used the service told us that home meetings took place. They also said that they could choose their meals and they prepared their lunch independently.

We observed that people were involved in the running of the home. We saw people undertaking household tasks such as ironing and gardening.

People were supported to participate in social actions and they told us that they were looking forward to their forthcoming holiday to Spain.