CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Mill Hayes
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, May 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, with medicine records needing improvement at the time of the visit.
Inspectors visited the home without warning on 28 and 30 March 2023. They spoke with four people, two relatives and eight staff. They also reviewed care plans, medicine records, staff files and management checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were supported to make choices, build independence, access healthcare and take part in activities that mattered to them.
There were a couple of differences between medicine stock levels and the paperwork. The provider acted straight away by improving monitoring, audits, training and quality checks. Some people also said they did not always feel safe after conflict between people living in the home, although staffing had been increased.
This was the first inspection since the current service was registered. The previous provider had been rated Requires Improvement in 2019. The current overall rating changed to Good.
Choice and independence
People were supported to make decisions, take positive risks and build everyday skills. They could personalise their rooms, cook and take part in community activities.
“People were supported to make their own choices and decisions.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives said staff respected privacy and individuality. Staff used calm, positive and respectful approaches.
“People received care from kind and compassionate staff, who used positive and respectful language.” from the report
Staff knew people well
Staff understood people's individual needs and preferences. Training included autism and learning difficulties, with regular refresher training and checks.
“Staff knew people extremely well. They told us about people's needs and preferences without looking at the care plan.” from the report
Personalised environment
The home was clean, maintained and adapted to people's sensory and physical needs. People were involved in decisions about design and decoration.
“People were supported in a safe, clean and well-maintained environment.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff could raise concerns and suggest changes. Management reviewed incidents, shared learning and involved people in improving policies and the environment.
“The culture of the service was open and transparent.” from the report
Medicine records
needs fixingInspectors found a couple of differences between medicine stock levels and the paperwork. The provider responded immediately with stronger monitoring, audits and staff training.
“However, there were a couple of discrepancies between the stock levels and paperwork.” from the report
Some people felt unsafe
needs fixingSome people said they did not always feel safe because of conflict between people living in the home. Staffing was increased and the provider planned changes to create more space.
“Some people told us they did not always feel safe.” from the report
- 01What changes were made to medicine monitoring after the discrepancies between stock levels and paperwork?
- 02How are medicine audits and staff medicine training checked now?
- 03What has happened to the planned changes to the layout of the home to provide more space?
- 04How do staff manage conflict between people and respond when someone says they do not feel safe?
- 05How will my relative be involved in care plan reviews, activities and decisions about their daily life?
This was an unannounced first inspection of the newly registered service and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 May 2023 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 Mill Hayes
5 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- May 2023Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 August 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.
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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Staffordshire
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 £980 to £1,230 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“We particularly appreciate the companionship Dawn gives in the evenings when she plays cards and Scrabble with my mother.”
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.