Millfields Residential Care Home

Updated 11 October 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 21 June 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an expert by experience with experience of services for older people. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the home. This included looking at information we had received about the service and statutory notifications we had received from the home. We also contacted the local authority commissioners and safeguarding team and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

We sent the provider a Provider Information Return (PIR) before the inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider had completed and returned the PIR as requested.

We spent time observing the care and support delivered in communal areas. We spoke with 10 people who were using the service, six relatives, three care staff, the cook, an assistant manager, a team leader, the activities coordinator, the registered manager, the area manager and both providers.

We looked at three people’s care records, three staff files, medicine records, the training matrix, and records relating to the management of the service. We looked round the building and saw people’s bedrooms and communal areas.

Updated 11 October 2018

This inspection took place on 21 June 2018 and was unannounced. Our last inspection of this service took place in August 2017. At that inspection we identified breaches of regulation in relation to staffing, dignity and respect, consent, nutrition and good governance.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions to at least good. The action plan was submitted as requested and gave detail about the actions they had already taken and were addressing in relation to making sure people were safe, people received adequate nutrition, people’s rights were upheld as required by the Mental Capacity Act, people’s needs in relation to privacy and dignity were met and making sure the service was well led.

Millfields Residential 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.

Millfields Residential Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 38 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. Accommodation is provided over two floors with communal areas, including two lounges and a dining room, on the ground floor. There were 30 people using the service when we visited. This included one person who was in hospital.

Since the last inspection a new registered manager had been appointed. 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.’

People living at the service told us they felt safe. Staff had received safeguarding training and knew what to do if they thought somebody was at risk.

Medicines were generally managed safely. Action was taken during the inspection to improve systems for safe and appropriate storage.

Risk assessments had been completed to mitigate risks to people's safety.

There was a robust system for monitoring and detailing accidents and incidents with lessons learned and action plans formulated where required.

The premises were clean, well maintained and appropriate safety checks were in place.

Effective recruitment processes were in place and systems for staff training had been developed to make sure staff had the skills and knowledge they needed to provide good and effective care.

Staff were well supported through effective training, regular supervisions and annual appraisals.

Staffing levels were kept under review to make sure they were responsive to the needs of the people living at the service.

People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. We saw evidence of consent being sought and best interest meetings where appropriate.

People were complimentary of the care and support they received. Staff were respectful of people’s privacy and dignity needs.

People enjoyed the food at the home and their dietary needs were assessed and met.

Care was planned and delivered with a person-centred approach and people were supported with their wishes in relation to the care they received at the end of their lives.

People enjoyed a range of meaningful activities and had choice of communal areas in which to spend their time.

The service was managed well. There was an inclusive culture and people’s views and opinions were sought and valued.