46 Bath Road

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Care plans were personalised and reflected people’s individual preferences, wishes, and aspirations, ensuring care and support was responsive to their needs. They clearly demonstrated how care was adapted to meet each person’s chosen lifestyle, including their preferred daily routines, such as when they wished to get up and go to bed and how they wanted to spend their time.

Detailed information about people’s life histories, communication needs, and health conditions enabled staff to understand what mattered most to them and respond appropriately. This supported staff to deliver care that was tailored, flexible, and respectful of individual choices.

Care plans also incorporated advice and guidance from health and social care professionals, ensuring that care remained responsive to people’s changing needs and circumstances.

The provider had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

People were supported to access the local community, promoting independence and social inclusion. The home’s location was close to local shops and with good public transport links, which enabled people to remain connected to their community. There was a house vehicle, which people could use giving them the opportunity to travel further afield giving them more choice and freedom.

People were supported to maintain meaningful relationships with family and friends. Relatives told us they felt welcomed when visiting and were actively involved in their loved one’s care, helping to ensure care remained personalised and responsive to each person’s needs and preferences.

Some people had relatives living in other care homes, and staff supported them to maintain these important connections through regular visits. In one case, a person had previously lost contact with their relative; however, with support from staff, this relationship was successfully re-established. The person was then supported to visit their relative in a care home located some distance away. This demonstrated a strong commitment to person-centred care, as staff recognised the importance of meaningful relationships and worked to reduce isolation, rebuild family connections, and promote people’s emotional wellbeing.

People had timely access to healthcare services when required, including GPs, dentists, and opticians. Care plans clearly detailed the support people needed to attend appointments, including any reasonable adjustments required to ensure their comfort and safety.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

All organisations providing publicly funded adult social care have been legally required to comply with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). This standard was introduced to ensure that individuals receive information in a format they can understand. The provider was meeting the required standards. Key policies, including safeguarding and complaints procedures, were made available in accessible formats tailored to people’s needs.

People’s records were kept safe and secure, only people who were authorised to read them had access. Staff completed information governance training to ensure information was stored safely in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The provider had systems in place to enable people, their relatives, and staff to share feedback, raise concerns, and contribute ideas about the care and support provided. However, the service co-ordinator told us the most recent survey sent to relatives had not received any responses. They acknowledged this and provided assurance that this would be explored, with alternative methods to be introduced to better capture relatives’ views.

Despite this, it was evident from discussions with relatives their feedback was sought through other means. Relatives told us they were involved in regular care reviews and had opportunities to share their views during informal conversations when visiting the home. This demonstrated a flexible approach to engagement, ensuring people’s voices were still heard.

People were actively involved in decisions about their care and were kept informed about changes made as a result of their feedback. Relatives confirmed they knew how to raise a concern and would speak with the service coordinator or the registered manager. At the time of the assessment relatives confirmed they were happy with the service being provided.

Regular keyworker meetings were held with people living at the home, where they were encouraged to share their views and suggest improvements. This demonstrated a commitment to listening and responding to people’s experiences to drive continuous improvement. Where people had raised concerns, this had been listened too and acted upon.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The staff team promoted people’s rights to access the services they needed. People were able to access healthcare, treatment and support when they needed it.Staff worked closely with a range of professionals to ensure all care and support was joined up. They worked closely with the local GP surgery and other health and social care professionals. Timely referrals were made to ensure people had access to the treatment they needed.

Staff had completed equality and diversity training and respected each person as an individual.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Systems and processes were in place to ensure people’s care and support was personalised, promoted equality and reduced barriers to accessing services. This helped to ensure people received care that was responsive to their needs and respected their rights.

One person told us they attended football matches for their favourite team on a regular basis, and it was evident they enjoyed this. However, they said the local football ground was not accessible, so the staff supported them to attend the away matches, which had better facilities.

The registered manager demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. In their annual return, they stated: "At Milestones, we will empower people to be their best self regardless of where they come from, what they look like, or how they identify. We will not accept discriminatory behaviour, and when discriminatory views and behaviour are witnessed, we expect everyone to challenge them. The behaviours we do expect are those that demonstrate inclusion and celebrate diversity." This vision was embedded within the service and was echoed by the staff team, who shared and upheld these values in their day-to-day practice.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

There was no one receiving end of life care. Staff had completed training in end-of-life care and bereavement. Staff knew people well their likes, dislikes and preferences this was clearly recorded in their individual care plans.

People had been supported to capture any wishes in the event of their death. A relative confirmed they had been involved and was consulted about any end of life wishes. They told us the person had a burial plan in place.

A member of staff shared that they had supported an individual to move to a different care setting. This transition was driven by the person’s wish to live more independently rather than remain in a care home. The staff team played a significant role in listening to the person and liaising with the person’s social worker. This highlighted good practice in enabling people to make meaningful choices about their lives. It demonstrates that staff value people’s aspirations and support forward planning that focuses on independence, wellbeing and quality of life.