Background to this inspection
Updated
14 May 2019
The inspection: We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team: This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type: Little Millfield’s provides accommodation and personal care to up to five people.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.’
Notice of inspection: The inspection site visit took place on 15 April 2019, to see the registered manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures.
What we did: Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed this information to help plan our inspection.
We were able to meet with people, but due to the complex nature of their learning disability, they were unable to verbally tell us about their experiences of life at the service. So, we observed the care being delivered, including the midday meal, and within the communal living room.
On the day of inspection, we spoke with two people's relatives, three members of staff and the registered manager.
We looked at the written records in relation to people's care and looked at records relating to the management of medicines, staff training, recruitment records and systems for monitoring the safety and quality of the service.
Updated
14 May 2019
About the service: Little Millfield’s is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Little Millfield's can accommodate up to five people who may have a learning disability, in one adapted building. At the time of the inspection, there were four people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service:
¿ People’s relatives were happy with the service their family member received. Comments made were, “The staff are very good at supporting [Name]. They are very safe.” Another said, “The staff are welcoming. They do interact with [Name] and know them well.”
¿ The service would benefit from improvements to the environment. The environment was run down and needed to be modernised and redecorated. The registered provider had plans in place to undertake this work and told us this should commence within the next six months.
¿ We found the bathrooms, and some people's bedrooms needed to have a deep clean.
¿ The service had systems in place to keep people safe and staff followed these guidelines when they supported people.
¿ Enough staff were available to meet people’s care needs. People received their medication as prescribed and on time.
¿ Staff had been recruited safely with the skills and knowledge to give care and support to people.
¿ People’s health and emotional needs were assessed and monitored.
¿ The service worked with relevant health care professionals and people received the support they needed to have a nutritional diet that met their individual choices.
¿ There were systems in place to drive improvement and audits were carried out on a regular basis, which looked at the quality of the service people received.
¿ People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
¿ Staff treated people with dignity and respect and were sensitive to their needs. Staff were able to anticipate people’s needs in an individualised way.
¿ A range of activities was provided, which included accessing the local community.
¿ The registered manager was aware of the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice, and independence.
Rating at last inspection: This service was last rated Good. (4 October 2016)
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive. Please see the action we have told the provider to take section towards the end of the report.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk