CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Millfield
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable equipment and safe medicines management. Risks, accidents and incidents were reviewed and actions were taken.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had induction, supervision, appraisals and ongoing training. People received support with food, drink, healthcare and decisions about their care.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff knew people well and encouraged them to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans recorded people's preferences and were current and accurate. People had access to individual activities, community activities and support to maintain relationships.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had an open and caring culture, regular consultation and quality checks. Inspectors said electronic records could be improved to strengthen oversight and notification checks.
What inspectors found, February 2019
The Millfield was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with some electronic record systems needing improvement.
Inspectors visited on 15 and 18 January 2019. The first visit was unannounced and the second was announced. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They also checked care records, staff files, audits and other records.
All five areas were rated Good: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff, safe medicines management, personalised care, good food choices and a varied activity programme.
The home had strong links with the local community. Staff were described as kind and caring, and people were supported to keep their independence and important relationships. The inspection found that the overall Good rating from July 2016 remained unchanged.
Inspectors noted that electronic records could give managers better oversight. The electronic system also did not always show whether a significant event needed to be reported to the CQC.
Enough trained staff
People, visitors and health professionals said there were enough staff. Inspectors found staff were visible and call bells were answered promptly.
“Staff were visible about the home all day and call bells were answered promptly.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported their privacy, dignity, choices and independence. Families could visit at any time and were made welcome.
“We observed staff knock before entering people's rooms.” from the report
Personalised activities
The home offered a varied programme, including activities chosen by individuals and opportunities to take part in the local community.
“There was an excellent and meaningful range of activities made available.” from the report
Good food and dining
Meals reflected people's preferences and dietary needs. Inspectors saw a pleasant and sociable dining experience.
“We observed the dining experience it was pleasant, sociable and very personalised.” from the report
Electronic records needed improvement
needs fixingInspectors said the electronic records could provide better oversight of the quality of the service. This was a management and monitoring weakness, although the overall well-led rating remained Good.
“However, we noted that the electronic records could be further improved to benefit the oversight of the quality of the service.” from the report
Reporting prompts were not always clear
needs fixingThe electronic system did not always indicate whether a significant event needed to be reported to the CQC. Inspectors said relevant authorities had been notified in the incidents they checked.
“The electronic recording system had failed in indicating whether a notification should be sent to us.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to the electronic care records since the inspection?
- 02How do you now check that significant events are correctly identified and reported to the CQC?
- 03How many staff are usually on duty during the day and at night, including in the dementia unit?
- 04How will you tailor activities and support to my relative's interests, abilities and preferences?
- 05How will my family be involved in care reviews and decisions about end of life preferences?
This was a planned inspection covering all five key questions, and the report says the previous Good ratings from 19 July 2016 remained unchanged. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 February 2019 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 The Millfield
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 6 December 2010.
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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Cumberland
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.
8 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
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.