Working at Valmark House
90 Mill Road, Colchester, CO4 5LJ
Operated by Broad Horizons Limited
4 bedsResidential homes
Workplace Score
5.0/10
AI analysis of latest data
Our AI workplace review
PlainSight AI Review
Last updated: 9 February 2026
Score: 5.0/10
Key Finding
"Low staff turnover and a positive culture with good training and supervision, but weak management oversight and safety lapses like infection control hold it back."
Safety & Risk
4/10
!
Improvements were needed in monitoring the safety of the environment... we identified shortfalls in risk management, and infection control... The service had received written instructions from a prescriber to adjust a person's medicine. However... it did not reflect what was being given on the person's medication administration record [MAR]
Staff Culture
6/10
✓
Staff felt valued and enjoyed their job, which supported the positive, homely environment. A staff member told us if something, 'Doesn't feel right,' they would not hesitate to report their concerns
Staffing Levels
5/10
!
People benefited from a low turnover of staff... Staff felt there was enough staff on duty to keep people safe, and if a person became physically or mentally unwell, staffing levels would be increased during that time
Training & Dev
6/10
✓
Staff received an induction and on-going training, which supported them to get to know the people they were supporting and meet their changing needs. Staff were supported through monthly supervision
Management
4/10
!
The impact of the registered manager working 'hands on,' and providing cover for another of the provider's services had not been assessed. No protected time was in place to support them and the provider to jointly review the quality of the service against best practice and regulations
Programmes
4/10
!
Within the house and gardens, people were being supported to do individual activities of their choice. Staff supported people to go out, shopping and visiting the local area. However, with the recent reduction in staffing levels... people were not always being given the opportunity to pursue individual interests outside the service
Points to consider
The manager spends too much time on hands-on shifts and covering for another home, so oversight of risks and quality slips through.
No protected time was in place to support them and the provider to jointly review the quality of the service against best practice and regulations, as part of developing the service
Safety checks missed issues like infection control slips and medication record mismatches that needed fixing on the spot.
staff were not always following effective IPC, where they were using textile towels... it did not reflect what was being given on the person's medication administration record [MAR]
Few planned activities or outings happen because low staffing numbers limit individual interests outside the home.
with the recent reduction in staffing levels to reflect occupancy, we found people were not always being given the opportunity to pursue individual interests outside the service... these activities had not been facilitated for some time
AI Generated
CQC Inspection Overview
CQC Inspection
Last inspected: November 2023
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