- Care home
Milton Lodge Retirement Home
Assessment report published 19 August 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
Milton Lodge Retirement Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 35 people. Care is provided in one adapted building across two floors. At the time of the inspection, 30 people were living in the service.
Who the service is for
Milton Lodge Retirement Home provides support to older people and people living with dementia.
Key findings
We carried out this inspection on 29 July 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this inspection to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
People told us they felt safe living in the service. Safeguarding concerns were identified and reported appropriately, and staff understood how to escalate concerns. Leaders reviewed incidents and accidents to identify learning and improve practice. Risks to people’s safety were assessed, recorded and monitored.
There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs and safe recruitment processes were in place. Staff received training, supervision and support appropriate to their roles and spoke positively about the support provided by managers. Comments included, “I feel very supported by the management team. They are approachable, friendly and easy to talk to, and I feel comfortable raising any questions or concerns with them” and “Managers have an open-door policy so they are there and always happy to listen.”
People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the service, with consideration given to their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs. Policies and procedures were available to support staff in delivering safe and effective care. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met, and a variety of meals and drinks were available to reflect their preferences and dietary requirements.
People’s health and wellbeing were regularly monitored and reviewed. Staff worked effectively with healthcare professionals to help ensure people received appropriate support and good outcomes. One health professional told us, “Communication is very good” and “The home is very good with timely responses to requests and staff are proactive in recognising changes or issues in residents requiring assessment.”
People were asked for their consent and supported to make decisions about their care. People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
People and their relatives spoke positively about the caring and compassionate nature of staff. During the inspection, we observed kind and respectful interactions that promoted people’s dignity, privacy and independence. People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends and to have choice and control over their daily lives.
People received person-centred care and support tailored to their individual needs. However, some care plans and risk assessments required greater detail and consistency to ensure people’s preferences, routines and involvement were fully reflected. People and relatives told us they felt listened to and had opportunities to give feedback.
The service was generally clean and homely. However, some communal areas required refurbishment. Environmental safety monitoring and checks on facilities also required strengthening. The provider confirmed a programme of planned environmental improvements was in place and work was ongoing at the time of the inspection.
The provider had processes in place to support the safe administration of medicines. However, during the inspection we identified some concerns relating to the management of boxed medicines. Stock counts were not always accurate, and some medicines administration records (MARs) were unclear and difficult to follow. The management team responded promptly by carrying out an immediate investigation, meeting with staff responsible for administering medicines and introducing twice-weekly stock checks.
Leaders promoted a positive, inclusive and compassionate culture that placed people at the centre of the service. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management team and described them as approachable and supportive. Governance systems were in place to monitor quality and drive improvement. However, some areas, such as medicines oversight, required further development. Leaders responded positively to feedback and demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and improving outcomes for people.
People's experience of this service
During the inspection, we asked people and their relatives for feedback about the service. Where appropriate, we spoke directly with people about their care and experiences. Some people were unable to tell us about their experiences, so we used our observations and feedback from relatives to help us understand the quality of care they received.
People and their relatives spoke positively about the quality of care provided. They described staff as kind, compassionate, respectful and attentive. Relatives told us staff knew people well and understood how they liked to be supported. People were treated with dignity and encouraged to maintain their independence and make choices about their care. Relatives said there were enough staff available to meet people's needs.
Comments included, “The team at Milton Lodge have been amazing”, “The staff are all nice, they are respectful to [person], they care and they have empathy”, “The staff are very friendly and very compassionate”, “They are beautiful, caring people”, “There are enough staff around, I never get the impression they are short staffed” and “They know [person] well, most of the staff have been there along time so they can be consistent.”
People told us they felt safe, and relatives confirmed they had no concerns about their family member's safety. Relatives said people's healthcare needs were met, with prompt access to GPs, district nurses and other healthcare professionals when required. People and their relatives spoke positively about the variety and choice of home-cooked meals available. We received positive feedback about how people were supported and encouraged to take part in a range of activities, including crafts, animal therapy and visits from entertainers and children from the local nursery.
Comments included, “I feel [person] is definitely safe. Can't fault the carers, they are all lovely with everybody”, “Healthcare has been very good, they have a good rapport with the GP surgery. They are on to things straight away”, “[Person] looks so much better now they are keeping an eye on her and the GP visits every Friday”, “Food is home cooked every day, it smells gorgeous, they have pies and puddings and all the nice stuff” and “They are very good with activities. They have bingo and lots of crafts. There's always something going on, nursery children visit, it's a lovely situation.”
Relatives described the registered manager and management team as visible, approachable and responsive. They said they felt comfortable raising concerns and were confident any issues would be addressed promptly. Relatives spoke positively about the culture of the home and told us they would recommend Milton Lodge to others. They said they felt involved in their family member's care and were always made to feel welcome when visiting the service.
Comments included, “I am absolutely happy with the care. They are so quick to put any glitches right, they welcome any problems and soon sort them out”, “I definitely think it's a well-run service. The manager has been there a long while. They are very approachable”, “The manager, deputy manager or a senior are always there. The managers are very visible in the home, spending time amongst the residents”, “We can visit anytime. We are always offered tea, we don’t feel like strangers, they know who we are” and “We absolutely would recommend the home, and we have. It's very, very good. We're happy with everything.”