CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Milestones
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Staff understood safeguarding procedures, individual risks were assessed and medicines were safely stored and recorded. Recruitment checks had improved since the previous inspection.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training and regular support. People received suitable food and support with healthcare appointments, health action plans and hospital care.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with dignity, respect and kindness. Staff supported people to make choices, stay in contact with relatives and develop their independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Support plans reflected people's preferences, routines and needs. People were supported with activities, work, college, holidays and community life, and complaints arrangements were in place.
- Well-led?
- Good
- There were regular audits, staff meetings and visits from managers at other homes. A new manager was in post and had started applying for registration.
What inspectors found, October 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements in staff recruitment and medicines records.
This was an announced comprehensive inspection on 5 October 2017. The inspector spoke with people living in the home, staff, managers and a relative. They also reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files, training records and management checks.
The home provides residential care for four people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, risks were assessed, medicines were safely managed and staffing levels were suitable. Staff had training and support to meet people's needs.
People were treated with kindness and respect. They were involved in decisions about their care and supported to be independent, take part in activities, use the community and keep in touch with family. Care was personalised and complaints were investigated.
The home was rated Good in all five areas and overall. It was also rated Good at the previous inspection in April 2015. Inspectors found improvements in staff recruitment and medicines records.
Safer recruitment
Inspectors found that the required employment, identity, health and DBS checks had been completed. This was an improvement since the previous inspection.
“At this inspection we found improvements to staff recruitment procedures had been made.” from the report
Medicines management
Medicines were stored securely and the records checked by inspectors had no gaps. The home had also acted to keep medicines at the correct temperature during hot weather.
“Medicines administration records (MAR charts) had been completed appropriately with no gaps in the recording on the MAR charts we examined.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff spoke respectfully, responded to people's requests and supported people to communicate in ways that suited them.
“We observed staff speaking respectfully to people and taking time to respond to people's requests for support or information.” from the report
Independence and choice
People had keys to their rooms and the front door, and were supported to use the local community, do household tasks and pursue activities they chose.
“People's independence was actively promoted.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans described people's preferences, routines, interests and support when they became anxious. People were involved in reviewing their care and planning future activities.
“People received care and support that was personalised and responsive to their needs.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The provider used regular audits, staff meetings and visits from managers at other homes to check the service and identify actions.
“Regular audits were in place as part of the service's 360 degree audit programme.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What progress has been made with the new manager's application for registration?
- 02How are medicines storage temperatures checked during hot weather?
- 03How will relatives be involved in the planned newsletter and social events?
- 04How often are each person's support plans and anxiety plans reviewed with them?
- 05How are activities, work and college arrangements kept suited to each person's wishes?
This was an announced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions and the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 October 2017 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 Milestones
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- October 2017Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 January 2011.
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.
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38 live-in carers within about an hour of Gloucestershire
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 £1,030 to £1,360 a week. 31 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.