The Kingswood Court Care Home in Kingswood, Tadworth has been awarded outstanding by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors.
Kingswood Court offers accommodation for adults who require nursing or personal care. All residents are over the ages of 65, some of whom have dementia.
The CQC awarded Kingswood outstanding in two out of five categories; effective and well-led and good for safe, caring and responsive following the inspection, 18 February 2019.
Inspectors highlighted that staff understanding the need for people to eat and drink well was reflected in how they supported people who were reluctant or had difficulty eating. Staff deployment was carefully managed, and managers ensured that staff who were more familiar with people who sometimes were reluctant to eat, were always allocated to support people at mealtimes. This had proved successful and people who were previously at risk of malnutrition were actively eating more.
During lunch inspectors observed a person had stopped eating their lunch, staff were seen to encouraged them to eat a few more mouthfuls without pressuring the person. To maximise the nutritional content of those, last few mouthfuls, staff targeted the protein on the person's plate as the first choice of food to be eaten.
Research has shown that people living with dementia may respond more positively if food is presented on a coloured plate. This had been recognised by the providerand coloured plates and cups had been ordered at the time of the inspection, to be used as soon as they arrived.
Mealtime was unhurried and relaxed which encouraged people to eat.
The current provider took over ownership of the home at the end of February 2018. They had identified many issues across the home that needed to be addressed. The provider produced a plan to improve the service for people and the staff and has been working towards completion of this plan for the last 12 months. This was managed via a continuous improvement board in the registered manager's office. At the time of our inspection the plan of actions was nearly completed.