Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court following an inspection in February 2020. The inspection assessed the home's performance across five key areas: safety, effectiveness, caring provision, responsiveness, and leadership. The report highlights the impact of a new manager who has implemented significant positive changes, fostering a supportive culture and clear vision for the service. Residents, relatives, and staff all shared positive feedback about the new leadership.

Regarding safe care, the report indicates that risks were generally well managed, with immediate action taken to address identified issues such as those concerning stairs and hot radiators. Safeguarding procedures were understood by staff, and medicines were managed safely. While audits identified some recording errors, these were investigated, and learning was shared.

In terms of effective care, residents received support that achieved good outcomes and promoted their quality of life. Staff training was comprehensive, and the home excelled at supporting residents' continued engagement in hobbies and activities they enjoyed. There was a particular focus on person-centred care plans and effective collaboration with external healthcare professionals.

The caring aspect of the service was highly praised, with staff consistently treating residents with kindness, respect, and compassion. Residents felt safe and well looked after, and their individual needs were clearly understood and incorporated into their care.

The service demonstrated responsiveness to residents' needs, with a focus on supporting them in the least restrictive way possible. While further work was noted regarding end-of-life care planning and training on protected characteristics, the home was actively developing these areas.

Finally, the leadership at Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court was found to be effective. The new manager promoted an open-door policy, managed complaints well, and worked collaboratively with agencies. A robust governance framework was in place to monitor and drive improvements. The report does mention that some staff training refreshers were out of date, although staff remained knowledgeable.