CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 21 Mill Lane
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Staff understood how to protect people from abuse and manage risks. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems and effective infection prevention measures.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs and choices were assessed, and staff had training suited to supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people. People were supported with food, healthcare, independence and day-to-day decisions.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, patient and respectful. People were supported to make choices, have privacy and develop independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's current and longer-term needs and were reviewed as people's lives changed. People were supported with communication, relationships, hobbies and social activities.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager was visible and approachable, and staff felt supported. Audits and other checks were used to monitor safety and identify improvements.
What inspectors found, December 2022
21 Mill Lane was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care with strong communication and leadership.
Inspectors visited the home without notice on 10 and 11 November 2022. They spoke with a relative and four staff members, and reviewed care plans, staff recruitment records and management records.
The home supported two people and could support up to four. Inspectors found that people were safe, treated with kindness and supported to make choices, communicate, stay healthy and take part in activities.
Care plans were personalised and staff understood people's needs well. Staff used communication tools such as Makaton, photographs and symbols, and worked with health professionals and the positive behaviour support team.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means inspectors found consistently good care at the time of the inspection, although a Good rating is not a guarantee that problems cannot arise.
Personalised care
Care plans covered people's current and longer-term needs. Staff understood individual goals and adapted support to each person.
“People's care plans were personalised, covering all aspects of their current and longer-term needs.” from the report
Kind relationships
Inspectors saw staff treating people warmly and respectfully. People appeared comfortable, happy and involved.
“They were kind, caring and nurturing and as a result we saw people were at ease, happy, engaged and stimulated.” from the report
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff with the right skills to meet people's needs and support activities inside and outside the home.
“The service had enough staff to support people to stay safe and meet their needs.” from the report
Strong oversight
The home had audits and improvement plans, and the manager encouraged staff to raise concerns and learn from incidents.
“The service had clear and effective governance arrangements in place to assess the quality and safety of the service.” from the report
Manager registration pending
minorThere was no registered manager in post during the inspection. A new manager had applied to register, but the application was still being assessed.
“At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.” from the report
Feedback was still being collected
minorThe home had sent questionnaires to relatives and representatives, but these had not yet been returned. This meant that part of the planned feedback process was not complete at the inspection.
“Questionnaires had been sent to people and their representatives to obtain their view on the quality of care, however these had not yet been returned.” from the report
- 01Has the manager's application to become registered been completed, and who is responsible for the home until then?
- 02How will staff communicate with my relative using their preferred methods, such as Makaton, photographs, symbols or visual tools?
- 03How are medicines reviewed, especially medicines prescribed to reduce anxiety or manage distress?
- 04How will my relative's care plan, goals and positive behaviour support plan be reviewed if their needs or behaviour change?
- 05How will the home involve my family member and relatives in future feedback, complaints and decisions about care?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; it was the first inspection of the newly registered home. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 December 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of 21 Mill Lane
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 May 2021.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
35 live-in carers within about an hour of Essex
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 25 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Not only was she professional, polite and efficient but she bought a lovely smile and laughter to my parents home.”
“She brought fun and stimulation into mums life.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.