The Care Quality Commission
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  • Homecare service

Archived: Mid Shires Supported Living Service

Unit 8, Stephenson Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK44 3WJ (01234) 838998

Provided and run by:
Leonard Cheshire Disability

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

29, 30 October and 4, 5 November 2013

During a routine inspection

We visited the office of Bedfordshire Care at Home on 29 October 2013 at the start of our inspection. We spoke with the deputy manager, seven office staff and a care worker visiting the office that day. We contacted a further 10 members of staff by telephone. An 'expert by experience' spoke with 20 people who used the service or someone on their behalf. We spoke with a further eight people over a period until 5 November 2013.

Everyone we spoke with was positive about the care they received. One person said of the staff providing their care, 'They are all lovely, brilliant' and went on to say they were treated with dignity and respect at all times. Another person finished the call with the comment, 'Everything is absolutely fantastic.'

People told us they were involved in planning their care and support. Some people told us about their care plans and how the staff referred to them. We saw from the records returned to the office that staff recorded each visit in detail. One person said, "I sometimes take a look to see what has been written. It is always spot on."

We found that the service had the appropriate procedures in place to reasonably protect people from abuse and support staff to recognise potential abuse and report it correctly. People told us they felt safe with the staff.

Staff told us that they had plenty of opportunities to continue their professional development as a variety of training was delivered regularly.

2 November 2012

During a routine inspection

During our visit to Bedfordshire Care at Home on 2 November 2012, we spoke with six people currently using the service. People commented about the care they received from the service, saying that they ''find it very good'' and 'it is very efficient, the best care I have received'. Another said 'I have no complaints'' and the staff were ''all very nice''. People told us staff respected their privacy and dignity. People said staff were polite, friendly, helpful, and trained and experienced to carry out their roles.

We saw that good individual care plans, daily notes and other records were kept for people. This ensured appropriate and safe care was delivered to people at all times.

27 October 2011

During a routine inspection

During our visit to the office, we collected some comments from people who use the service. They told us that care workers were very good. They told us that care workers respected them and their wishes and cared for them in a dignified way. In their surveys people expressed satisfaction with communication with staff in the office and with the management of the service.

People whose first language was not English informed us that they were happy that the service managed to send care workers who spoke the same language as them.

People told us that they were happy with the service. They also told us that their care worker was, 'Very good'.

Some relatives responded to surveys on behalf of their relatives who receive care in a positive way. For example one 'thank you letter' stated: 'Thank you for all the care that your staff gave to my mother. She has not settled well in a residential home.'

The analysis of the survey showed that 80% of people receiving the service believed that the service improved their quality of life. Surveys showed that 78% of people felt that staff completed all the agreed tasks and 83% responded that the care was 'excellent'.