This is the worst care home that I’ve ever worked in. The place is filthy and in the summertime it was infested with ants. I witnessed ants crawling all over residents. When asked to do something about it at the time, the maintenance worker said that he had to finish what he was currently doing first (painting). The staff are gossips and if your face doesn’t fit then they would pick on you or talk behind your back. Also they are very cliquey. They didn’t just gossip about other staff members but about the residents and families too, often mocking them. The management was horrendous as the manager had to manage 2 care homes at one time. Went through 2 managers while I was there, the second one left after a month. Went without a Manager for a while. The manager often took on residents who we were not trained to deal with (mainly very aggressive). We would get hit, scratched and spat on by those residents on a regular basis. Management would do nothing to protect the staff when this happened. Some carers have scars where they have been scratched deeply by the residents. Always short staffed in the place to the point that not only were the staff affected because they were so busy, but the residents too because the staff were always too busy to even get them out of bed for their breakfast/ lunch. Most of them would have to stay in bed all day even if they requested to get up. I worked on night shift for a while and it was an absolute nightmare. Due to the high number of res
ProsNothing
ConsLow pay, bullying staff, uncaring staff and management, violent residents
Overall a poorly organiszed and negative enviroment.
My time at Maria mallaband was not a great and moving to this company was a far cry from that of which I had experianced before in my last care job which was a much better.
Negatives:
- Staff where negative, always complaining about their shift patterns and even claiming to ring in sick on the days that they where due to work with people they didn't like, there was always a negative feeling on shift this left me not looking forward to coming into work.
- The home itself was run down and old, staff facilites and resident facilites were as basic as it gets and the wards themselves were run down their was cupboards with no doors or handles on them and staff wern't even allowed basic cleaning equipment or chemicals to clean eating areas or living areas which resulted in eating areas being left with food on the floor and tables and sides covered in muck.
- Staff wern't even allowed accsess to the storeroom to refill wipes and personal care supplies which meant at times during personal care you'd be running around the ward looking for a room to borrow wipes from, the sluice room was unbelievebly dirty and smelt awful which in my experiance should not be the case for a sluice room despite its purpose.
- I was asked on multiple occasions to do jobs such as using hoists despite me not being trained by the company to use one, I stated multiple times that I had previously been a mental health support worker and I had not used hoists before. On another occasion I was made to keep
ProsStaff meals and a £9.04 starting rate per hour
ConsNegative staff, old facilities, dirty eating areas, no training for hoists
Maria Mallaband and countrywide help you to be the best you can by providing exceptional support, and are dedicated to making our Homes the best
I am so proud to be part of the exceptional team who work at MMCG/Countrywide. My roll is to deliver meaningful activities which can change peoples lives and make them healthier, happier and more active but also my involvement at creating a great environment, media reporting, community liaison and through this making the home the best it can be for everyone.
I was lucky enough to have been nominated by residents, families,staff, community links to the annual Maria Mallaband/countrywide care awards 2018. I can honestly say this was one of my most rewarding experiences if my life. The award service was stunning. All the staff are amazing and gave you so much kindness, support and encouragement to be able to achieve your goals. To be recognised and part of the Marie Mallaband / countrywide family is a great reward which I treasure.
I am so lucky to have gone on and won the award for most innovative activities. The award I dedicated to the entire team at my home for all their support and hard work as without them I couldn’t achieve the goals for all our residents. Marie Mallaband / countrywide are the best company who reward there staff in so many ways ..it’s a pleasure to work and be part of their team.
Working at Troutbeck 10 weeks so far as Bank Staff care assistant excellent very impressive training & paid e learning in house etc very demanding role but equally rewarding role settled in nicely quickly realised this home constantly under staffs every shift flouts policy’s cover ups in paper work & short falls & has double standards for management and longer serving staff members who regularly break every policy they claim to be transparent in but def are not they constantly understaff every single shift leaving staff run ragged they get one to one funding for several residents but don’t give one to one care I’ve seen a lot been upset by it ignored by management and got rid of under false allegations for speaking out about my concerns about residents care needs not being net, staffing & maintenance issues also false paperwork submissions by management
I have been a partner in an Engineering firm 25 years and had other work since that I took on care work 4 months into the pandemic Covid 19 as other work fell off and went quiet and i didn’t want office work .. it’s been an eye opener and if I was a relative of a resident I would be very concerned indeed ..
MMCG is a developing Company which believes in quality and putting the resident at the heart of what they do.
I learnt by working a numerous establishments as part of my role how important environment means for resident outcomes.
How a stable and enthused team can make a difference on a daily basis.
I also learnt how a demotivated team may cause poor quality care outcomes through ignorance and how difficult it is to change this within tight time frames based upon CQC requirements.
The most enjoyable part of the job was making a positive difference to resident, relative and staff lives on a daily basis.
The hardest part of the job was motivating and supporting a changing disparate team.
MMCG management was both top drawer and 'should have been looked in a drawer with the key thrown away'.
My memory for life is, being aware that the CEO / Company owner was just about to do a surprise walk around. Quickly checking around and finding a pile of cat poo on the floor. Nobody able or wanting to clean it up so.....dealt with it myself just in time to shake his hand and hold the bag of 'poo' behind my back with the other.
I have worked for MMCG for over a year now and enjoy my job as much as I did on my first day.
I have never been made to feel like the new person.
I have a fast paced job however not to the point I have to get stressed.
There is always someone there to help and support you. I have a number of colleagues who have worked for the company 10 years plus which speaks volumes that it is a stable working environment.
I work with a great team of people and feel valued and listened to. They are open to change and encourage all staff to make suggestions for improvement of service, environment, and good practice.
There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of the company. It is well led by management and has a can do attitude in the culture within.
I have been given opportunities for development and progression in a direction that suits me and my needs and this is open to all staff members from Care staff to office and ancillary.
Leaving agency recruitment and joining MMCG Internal recruitment team was the best decision ever.
No regrets
ProsProgression, Being Valued, Able to contribute to change and improvement, great people and fun place to work
typical day busy as normal constant, I did get frustrated as seems staff come to me rather than the Manager, The most important thing I have learned is to keep a diary of events and conversations as if you don;t it will bite you in the $$$, you always need to watch your back because no one else will, Management was hit and miss, people management skills would be good as at present do not think its good to reprimand in communal areas in front of residents, families and staff!!! The hardest part was not having the support and them knowing the answer at Head Office!! It would be one would say something then would get told off No it should be done this way!! There is no clear guide lines to get answers and when you talk to staff at Head Office you can tell in the voice they do not have a clue either!! MMCG promote enhancing your skills and training, I never seen any of this even though I asked unless your a Nurse or a Carer! The best part of the job is interacting with the residents and families, just because I have had a bad experience please do not put this you off, at the end of the day you have to make your own decision.
This is no disrespect to MMCG as a company, this is solely aimed at their care home that unsurprisingly has been in the newspaper a few times recently! You know you’ve made a terrible career move when you actually feel sick to your stomach with nerves and anxiety every time you wake up to go to work. I worked with some incredible members of staff and I absolutely loved the residents there, however management were utterly abhorrent and cruel. Staff morale didn’t exist whatsoever, and any concerns you raised and escalated with the so-called management team was met with the threat of “Well you know where the door is”. Watching a mini Hitler belittle her workers, screaming at them and making them cry in packed corridors was literally the breaking point for myself and others. You learn to cope with staff shortages and multiple different agency workers, but after so long you can’t put up with that behaviour. It’s unacceptable for a business and it’s abnormal for the workers. I’ve heard a lot has changed since I left, so I sincerely hope it’s for the better.
I have worked here for nearly four months, as my role is nearly a year old with the GDPR coming in to force May 2018 it has been a great challenge to work here and always looking for ways to improve Data Protection within MMCG. Having worked for a number of large organisations prior to MMCG I feel the benefits and the culture of the company is incomparable. The Board of Directors are humble individuals and are always happy to assist if needed. Typical days at work are always challenging and I am always learning something new every week in relation to the Data Protection field, this is what I wanted from a job!
Work place culture is calm and relaxed, it is like a family environment and everyone is always smiling.
I have seen a number of individuals within four months been promoted, which shows the organisation really cares about employee progression.
I would definitely recommend working for MMCG if you are looking for a bright future.
Loved the people that lived at the home a good mix between Dementia and residential. Training is sufficient for those with plenty of care experience, training modules need to be completed in your own time and you will be pressured to get this done whilst also being booked for shifts and demanded that these are completed or your shifts will be cancelled. Not really any support once you're in the door. Constantly under staffed and do not feel with the amount of residents that even at full staffing levels it is enough to give "care' just enough to tick the boxes. I felt it very clicky but if you're in with the click you should do fine, no time for your breaks as such although you do get them but usually would of been on shift 6 hours + I feel for the carers and residents, this has put me off working in this type of care setting and I had to leave due to affecting my own health.
ProsPlenty of hands on experience, lovely residents and some staff
ConsLong hours, under staffed often, clicky, unsupported, low pay
Questions and answers about Maria Mallaband Care Group
What advice would you give the CEO of Maria Mallaband Care Group about how to improve it?
Asked 21 Jan 2019
Talk to the carers we know the short comings the lack of staff .residents being upset as we have no time to sit with them .not enough food .3 floors of staff with a tiny staff room with a rule of only 2 people in at a time we work hard please give us an area we can relax for our 30 min break unless you smoke there are no staff areas
Answered 20 Jun 2021
Review your so called teams!
Answered 8 Jan 2021
How does someone get hired at Maria Mallaband Care Group? What are the steps along the way?
Asked 9 Jan 2018
Reply to the advert, telephone and onsite interview.
Answered 1 Feb 2022
Show your compassion and willingness to change lives for older people.
Answered 8 Mar 2021
What tips or advice would you give to someone interviewing at Maria Mallaband Care Group?
Asked 7 Oct 2018
Bear in mind while they are interviewing you, this company may not be a good fit for you, it's not all one-sided, you have choices too.
Answered 6 Nov 2020
Mention all your relatives already working there.
Answered 30 Jul 2020
What is the organisational culture at Maria Mallaband Care Group?
Asked 3 Feb 2018
How can you use a brand statement when you have such a high employment turnover to be the best quality care provider would need consistency and is something tha MMCG failes at massively i really expected more from a large company.
Answered 28 Jul 2020
Bullying, cliquey and uncaring staff and management.
Answered 7 May 2019
What is the long service reward that’s mentioned in your benefits?
Asked 14 Nov 2017
Once a £5 voucher was issued by HR for Christmas but when I tried to redeem it I was rejected by M&S who said it had not been validated. Others I worked with had the same experience. So nothing at all for long service. On another occasion there were toiletries purchased by residents relatives leftover when residents passed away and they were offered by management to the staff as 'presents'. And mostly declined. Long service was not rewarded, it was usually terminated to avoid any prospect in future of paying redundancy in excess of minimum government guidelines.
