This inspection was carried out on 12 June 2018 and was unannounced. The service had been inspected under their previous registration and provider in 2017 and were rated as Good. This was the first inspection under the new registration with the new provider, Care UK Community Partnerships Limited. We found that they were meeting all the standards.

Knebworth Care home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Knebworth Care Home provides accommodation for up to 71 older people, some of whom live with dementia. The home is registered to provide nursing care. At the time of the inspection there were 50 people living there.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People, relatives and staff felt that the service was well run. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and address any shortfalls. The management team worked with other agencies to improve and maintain standards.

People felt safe and were supported by staff who knew how to reduce risks and there were effective infection control practices. Lessons learned were shared and any incidents were reviewed.

People were supported by sufficient staff who were recruited safely. Medicines were managed safely in most instances. We found that staff were trained and had regular supervision.

The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were adhered to and people’s choices were respected. People were involved in their care.

People were supported to eat and drink enough and risks of malnutrition were monitored. There was regular access to health professionals and the design of the building suited people’s needs. People were treated with dignity and respect. Privacy and confidentiality was promoted. We found that staff were kind and friendly.

People’s care needs were met in a way they liked. Individual care plans included the appropriate information to help ensure care was provided in a person centred and safe way. Where people were supported at the end of their lives, this was done with dignity and kindness. People enjoyed the activities provided. We found complaints were responded to and feedback was sought.