CQC places Milton Keynes rehabilitation home into special measures

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Thomas Edward Mitton House in Milton Keynes as Inadequate and placed the service into special measures following an inspection carried out in April and May.

Thomas Edward Mitton House, operated by The Disabilities Trust, trading as Brainkind, provides accommodation, nursing and rehabilitation support for up to 16 people, primarily those recovering from a brain injury. At the time of the inspection, nine people were using the service.

This was the first inspection since Brainkind took over the service. Under its previous provider, the home was rated Requires Improvement.

The CQC rated the service Inadequate for Safe, Effective and Well-led, and Requires Improvement for Caring and Responsive.

As part of its regulatory action, the CQC has imposed conditions on the provider’s registration requiring monthly updates on progress against improvements. The service has also been placed into special measures, meaning it will be subject to increased monitoring while improvements are made.

Inspectors found that people’s needs were not always assessed thoroughly before admission, resulting in care plans that lacked sufficient detail, contained conflicting information and did not consistently reflect people’s preferences, communication needs, strengths or rehabilitation goals. In some cases, people transferred from hospital had to return because the service was unable to meet their needs.

The report also found that staff were not always supporting people to maximise their independence during rehabilitation, with missed opportunities to help people carry out activities they were capable of doing themselves.

Inspectors identified weaknesses in leadership and governance. The CQC found that leaders did not always investigate incidents or maintain effective oversight of the service, and recent management changes had affected continuity of leadership.

The inspection also highlighted concerns about staffing and care delivery. Staff did not always have sufficient time to provide meaningful interactions, and inspectors found examples where people’s privacy was not consistently respected. Although specialist training had been provided, staff did not always demonstrate the knowledge required to recognise deteriorating health or consistently follow clinical guidance.

The CQC also found shortcomings in safeguarding and medicines management. Some safeguarding incidents had not been reported promptly, while medicines care plans did not always include the guidance staff needed to administer medicines safely.

Inspectors reported that parts of the home were worn and not designed to provide a homely environment, with longstanding maintenance issues, including problems with the heating system, remaining unresolved. The service was also not routinely gathering feedback from people using the service to support quality improvement.

Despite these findings, the CQC noted that people using the service, relatives and staff spoke positively about the new management team. Inspectors reported that leaders responded promptly to inspection feedback and had begun implementing improvements during the inspection process.

Stay informed with the stories shaping health and social care.

Register with The Daily Round for the latest sector news, exclusive investigations, wellbeing content, workforce insights, expert features and practical updates—delivered free to your inbox.