Last updated: 9 February 2026
"Staff feel happy and supported with good training and activities, but insufficient staffing and unsafe medicines management hold it back."
Medicines were not always safely managed. For medicines that were given ‘when required’, protocols in place were not detailed... When people were assessed as requiring their medicines to be given covertly... advice from a pharmacist was not obtained.
Staff were happy in their role, comments included, “I love my job” and “I am really happy and positive working at Kitwood.” Staff and relatives told us the registered manager was supportive.
Relatives and staff told us they did not think staffing levels were always sufficient to meet people’s needs... We observed staff did not have time to support, comfort or reassure people who became distressed.
We reviewed the training matrix and identified most staff had completed all their allocated training. However, we found specific training in relation to supporting people with a health condition had not been completed for example, catheter care.
There was mixed feedback in relation to the quality of support and supervision the staff received from the manager. One staff member told us, “I don’t have one to ones with management and haven’t since I worked here.”
The provider encouraged engagement with the local community. The local school had attended the service and provided entertainment. The provider had ‘dementia bus’... The provider utilises local singers to provide entertainment for people living in the service.
Not enough staff so you are rushed and can't spend proper time reassuring upset residents or helping at mealtimes.
Staff told us there were not enough staff to meet people’s needs... We observed staff did not have time to support, comfort or reassure people who became distressed. People sometimes had a long wait for staff to support them with personal care or at mealtimes.
Medicines not managed safely, like unclear doses for painkillers or hiding them in food without pharmacist advice.
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... advice from a pharmacist was not obtained.
Management oversight is weak with irregular staff check-ins and not always acting on concerns like low staffing.
Staff did not receive regular supervision; some staff told us the only supervision they had, was when there had been an incident... When staff raised concerns, they were not always informed of the outcome.
AI Generated
Last inspected: June 2025
Management Quality
Well-led: Requires improvement
Direct feedback from current and former employees

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