Millbrook House

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.

People’s care planning documents contained up to date information about their care, how people would like to receive care, and how to ensure people were safe, and supported to positive risk take in order to promote their independence.

People and relatives told us they had built positive relationships with staff, who knew how each person liked their support to be delivered. Staff knew people well and knew their likes and dislikes and personal histories, which helped them build positive relationships.

Staff told us that person centred care was fully embedded in the way they worked. Such as people who preferred female carers for personal care, those who liked to get up later in the morning and others who chose to have their meals in their rooms rather than in the dining room.

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

Staff worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure people’s needs were met. For example, staff collaborated with physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and GPs to support people living at the home. A healthcare professional described staff as being ‘Consistently positive, extremely attentive, caring and demonstrated a good understanding of each resident’s individual needs.The registered manager explained these established relationships meant advice about a person’s needs could be requested directly, often without the need for a lengthy referral process.

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

People and their relatives told us they were given detailed information about the home before they moved in. This helped people and their families feel prepared, informed and reassured about what to expect when moving into Millbrook House.

Person centred care plans contained information about people’s preferred methods of communication and any support they required to communicate effectively. Care plans also detailed barriers that may make communication more difficult. For example, one person did not always insert their hearing aids fully, which reduced their effectiveness and meant staff needed to check and support them with this. This level of detail helped staff understand people’s communication needs and provided guidance on how to ensure they were heard, understood and included.

The service had a ‘communication champion’, who’s role was to promote best practice across the service, and to work with families and professionals to support people’s communication needs and promote effective communication across the service.

The provider had a monthly newsletter that was shared with people and their relatives. This included information about upcoming events and activities. This helped keep people and their relatives informed and involved in the life of the home. Relatives told us they attended meetings and were informed about events effecting how the home is run.

Staff completed General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) training which was regularly updated.

We saw people’s communication needs and preferences were clearly recorded in care plans. Staff told us, “It is important to talk clearly to a resident and be patient with a response as well as ensuring they have the relevant aids that support communication”.

The provider met the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard. Since 2016 all organisations that provide publicly funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The Accessible Information Standard tells organisations what they have to do to help ensure people with a disability or sensory loss, and in some circumstances, their carers, get information in a way they can understand it. It also says that people should get the support they need in relation to communication.The manager told us they were able to provide information in a format to suite the person’s needs, such as different font sizes or different languages. They said they always discussed the person’s communication needs at the initial assessment and thereafter within reviews of people’s care. The provider used digital systems to personalise care and share information. Video calling was used to enable relatives to attend meetings virtually when they were unable to attend in person.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff worked closely with other services and professionals to ensure people received holistic support which met their individual needs. Professional advice was followed to ensure continuity of care for people.

People were encouraged to get involved and provide feedback on decisions such as menu planning, décor, recruitment processes and which activities they would like to do and any improvements they would like to see at the service.People and relatives took part in regular meetings facilitated by the service. People told us they attended meetings and were informed about events affecting how the home is run.

The provider maintained a strong and positive relationship with the local church, with monthly ‘Songs of Praise’ sessions for people to attend. The registered manager demonstrated a strong passion for ensuring people felt comfortable, valued and that their personalities were celebrated. They described the importance of always listening to people and creating an environment where individuals felt truly at home. The registered manager told us, “I listen to them [people], it’s important to make sure they feel they are listened to.” The provider told us, “Everything we do is for them [people].” This approach helped promote a positive culture where people felt respected, heard and supported as individuals.

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

Staff and management supported people to access external healthcare resources when they needed, and people’s care plans detailed regular appointments with healthcare professionals.

One relative told us, “They [staff] phone me if there is anything I need to know, they arrange for the GP or a nurse to see [person] if they are unwell.” Another relative described how their loved one was very unsteady on their feet. The support from healthcare professionals and staff improved their mobility and they were now able to access the garden. This demonstrated a coordinated approach to care, helping to maintain people’s health, and achieve positive outcomes.

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.

The provider worked in line with equality and human rights legislation, ensuring people were not discriminated against and that their diverse needs were recognised and respected.

Staff training had included equality, diversity, and human rights, and their practice was checked through regular spot checks, supervisions, and ongoing support. Policies and procedures were aligned with current equality legislation, ensuring both people and staff were treated fairly, consistently, and with dignity. Staff told us they felt confident delivering care that was inclusive, respectful, and person-centred.

Care planning processes considered a range of individual factors, including age, gender, religion, disability, and other protected characteristics. People and relatives told us they usually supported the same staff who knew them or their loved one well.

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.

People had a proactive care planning document which detailed their wishes in the event they developed a new long term health condition, were approaching the end of their life, or required decisions about life saving treatment. These documents captured people’s preferences clearly, helping ensure their choices would be understood, respected and acted upon should their circumstances change. Relatives told us they had been involved in this process with their family member, which supported people to have control over future care and decisions. Staff told us the care plan helped them to deliver care in line with each person’s needs and wishes.At the time of this assessment, no one was receiving end of life care.