National care inspectors praise Leatherhead care home

Home news

Dec 05, 2019

A national care watchdog has given a Leatherhead care home its seal of approval, with relatives and residents praising the caring and attentive team members.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report gave Care UK’s Milner House, on Ermyn Way, an overall ‘Good’ rating, following an unannounced inspection.

The report demonstrates the home’s drastic improvements in key areas, including effectiveness, which has now been rated ‘Good’.

Considered to be one of the main catalysts for positive changes, the report highlighted the impact the home’s new lifestyle lead has had, described as having ‘transformed the service’. The home now offers an array of daily activities, including trips and open house events with the community. One relative said: “There is such energy here now. The creativity is amazing.”

Inspectors praised the lifestyle team’s person-centred approach, from offering one-to-one activities for residents who preferred to stay in their room, to tailoring their offering based on residents’ life stories. For example, the team arranged a horse visit for a resident who used to volunteer at a local centre for disabled riders and was a keen horse rider herself.

During the inspection, CQC witnessed genuine and kind interactions between team members and residents. A visitor said: “There is such a family atmosphere here”. Every team member at Milner House makes sure they get to know residents and their stories as much as possible, which allows them to support residents better. For example, a team member noticed that a resident and former teacher engaged better with others when they were sat in front of a group, so supported them to do so.

The home also has a ‘Resident of the Day’ system, where a named resident is celebrated throughout the day. In addition to reviewing their care plan, the person is visited by every single member of the team, including chef and housekeeper, to discuss how their lives could be improved at Milner House. When asked if they felt their choices were respected, a resident said: “Of course, it’s my home”.

Mealtimes were also assessed during the observation, and it was noted that a lot of thought went into presenting the meals in an attractive and dementia-friendly way, by showing plated meals. One relative said: “They go to great lengths to ensure food is served hot and in a way that looks attractive”.

Inspectors praised the effort that had gone into improving the environment at Milner House to better meet people’s needs. For example, the home now has a brand new cinema room on the top floor, which residents spoke fondly of. Further work is also underway to improve the design and layout of the ground floor.

Relatives and team members praised the home manager’s transparency and approachability, as well as the positive culture he has created at the home since he joined. One relative said: “The manager is very approachable, solution-focused and always willing to sit down and talk things through”.

Joe Patterson, home manager at Milner House, said: “Everyone has put in a lot of hard work to ensure we offer a comfortable home to all residents and their families, and the whole team is really proud of their achievements.

“Receiving a ‘Good’ rating shows just how dedicated the team is to looking after every individual’s needs, and we will continue our hard work to ensure residents receive compassionate, person-centred care. I am incredibly proud of the home’s journey over the past year, and would like to say thank you to the team for their dedication, which I know is also greatly appreciated by residents and their families.”

To assess service standards at Milner House, the CQC’s inspector spoke with team members, residents, and their visiting relatives on the day of the inspection. They also reviewed the records and procedures already in place at the care home.

The care home, which features 47 ensuite bedrooms, has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, and also has a hairdressing salon and café.

For more information about the home, please call customer relations manager, Roy Booth, on 01372 278 922, or email roy.booth@careuk.com

For general information about Milner House, visit careuk.com/milner-house