Working at Brook House
47 Colchester Road, Colchester, CO6 2PW
Operated by Milton Lodge Limited
36 bedsResidential homes
Workplace Score
3.7/10
AI analysis of latest data
Our AI workplace review
PlainSight AI Review
Last updated: 9 February 2026
Score: 3.7/10
Key Finding
"Staff feel supported in a positive culture with visible managers and good training, but safety risks and staffing shortages hold it back."
Safety & Risk
2/10
✕
We identified 1 breach of the legal regulations. The provider had not managed risks to people’s safety effectively... People's medicines were not always managed safely. Environmental and infection prevention and control concerns were not always well managed.
Staff Culture
5/10
!
Staff told us they felt supported and were able to raise concerns with the management team. Staff and managers told us they felt positive about the culture of the service. Per 2023 inspection: Staff were highly motivated and proud of the care and support they delivered.
Staffing Levels
3/10
✕
Staff were not always visible and available to provide people with personalised care which met their needs and preferences. People and their relatives told us staff did not always answer call bells promptly and this meant people had to wait for continence support and personal care. Employment checks had not always been completed in line with the provider’s own recruitment policy.
Training & Dev
4/10
!
Staff told us they had completed appropriate training relevant to their role and received regular supervisions. The management team had processes in place to monitor staff training and they completed regular competency checks. Per 2023 inspection: Staff had completed e-learning in core subjects but some gaps in dementia and moving/handling understanding.
Management
4/10
!
Staff spoke positively about the leadership of the service. Staff told us the management team were a visible presence and were always willing to provide direct support alongside staff where required. However, governance processes were not robust and concerns from previous inspection remained.
Programmes
3/10
✕
People enjoyed visits from local community groups and were encouraged to take part in local events and activities. Per 2023 inspection: People had the opportunity to participate in a range of activities such as games, armchair activities, reminiscence and quizzes.
Points to consider
Staff are stretched and not always easy to find, so residents wait too long for help like toilet support.
People and their relatives told us staff did not always answer call bells promptly and this meant people had to wait for continence support and personal care
Safety risks like fire evacuation plans, infection control in bathrooms, and medication record errors are not handled well.
Risks to people's safety were not well managed. For example, we found people did not always have up to date and accurate fire evacuation information... People's medicines records were not always completed accurately.
Managers do not spot or fix ongoing problems like poor cleaning or risk checks quickly enough.
The provider's governance processes were not robust. Areas of concern identified at the last inspection remained an issue at this assessment. For example, the provider’s oversight of fire safety and infection prevention and control.
AI Generated
CQC Inspection Overview
CQC Inspection
Last inspected: November 2024
Requires improvement
Safe
!
Requires improvement
Effective
✓
Good
Caring
✓
Good
Responsive
✓
Good
Management Quality
Well-led: Requires improvement
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- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection Data
- PlainSight staff reviews