23 April 2014
During a routine inspection
During this inspection we looked at the care provided to people through the 'reablement' team and the care offered to people with dementia to enable them to stay at home. We also looked at the care provided to people with 'complex needs' and to people under a new scheme called the 'Community Plus team'. The Meadows Community Care was supporting 67 people in the community at the time of the inspection.
We spoke with five people who used the service or their relatives during this inspection. We also spoke with one carer, one senior carer, one senior manager, the service and a social worker. We looked at the care records of seven people who used the service to enable us understand the care being provided to people who used the service.
Is the service safe?
People who used the service told us that they were happy with the care they received. One person said, 'I'm very happy with them'. Another person said, 'They're very good. We can't fault them'.
At a previous inspection completed on 14 October 2013 we identified areas of non-compliance with regulations we inspect against. We asked the provider to provide us with an action plan of how people's records would contain information about risks and how people will be supported. During this inspection, we checked and found that improvements had been made. There was adequate information within people's records relating to risk assessments and management plans and the care they required in order to ensure that care was provided in a safe and consistent way.
We noted that the provider ensured that their staff were trained in medication administration. Staff we spoke with were able to explain procedures put in place to ensure that people were protected against the risks of incorrect medication administration.
The provider had robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that people were cared for by suitably qualified staff. There was an induction programme in place for newly recruited staff to ensure that they received the necessary training to support them to provide care to people in a safe manner.
Is the service effective?
People who used the service told us that staff spent time with them to understand their individual needs. People's care records were person centred and the provider ensured that people were involved drawing up their support plans.
People we spoke told us that staff always obtained their consent before they engaged in any planned activities with them. We saw agreements that had been signed by people in all the records we looked at. This meant that people had given consent to their care and treatment.
People told us that care staff always arrived on time to provide care. One person said, 'I'm very happy; they're very efficient'. Care records were reviewed and updated regularly by the care staff and social workers involved in the care of people.
Staff members we spoke with told us that they were well supported by their managers. One member of staff, 'We're never alone. You could ring up and get whatever help you need'. We saw that staff had regular supervision and training to ensure that people received safe and effective care.
Is the service caring?
People were supported by kind, attentive and friendly staff. All the people we spoke with told us that they were happy with the care and treatment provided. One person we spoke with said, 'They're very helpful indeed'. A relative of a person who used the service told us, 'I'm very happy with them. They talk with X all the time'.
Staff we spoke with told us they enjoyed going out to support people at their homes. One staff member said, 'I love it. I like being out there. I like to be out and hands-on'. Another senior staff member said, 'I love looking after people. I do cherish my first visit'.
A social worker told us that staff were very caring and very supportive. The social worker told us of how the carers had supported of a couple who were initially apprehensive about receiving care and support. The social work said told us that care provided had been a very positive experience for the couple. The relative of the couple told us that, 'We're very impressed with the care'.
Is the service responsive?
The provider ensured that a full assessment of people's needs and support plan was provided by a social worker prior their staff going in to do their own risk assessments and management plans.
Records we looked at confirmed that people's preferences, interests and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support had been provided in accordance with people's wishes. People told us that they were cared for most of the time by the same carers.
The service worked well with other agencies and services to make sure care was joined up and effective. We saw records to demonstrate the involvement of other health and social care professionals in the care of people.
Is the service well led?
Staff we spoke with told us that their managers were very approachable. A staff member said, 'X has an open door policy, and it is literally open-door'. This helped to ensure that people received a good quality service at all times.
We saw that the provider had systems in place to regularly monitor the quality of services being provided. We saw records that people's care records were reviewed and updated as their needs changed.
We noted that the provider ensured that there were copies of risk assessments and risk management plans in the office as well as people's homes to ensure adequate information was always available to so that people received safe and appropriate care.