21 October 2019
During a routine inspection
Mears Care Limited Leeds is a domiciliary service providing personal care to 100 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using the service
We found the provider did not always maintain appropriate or accurate records relating to supervisions, medicines and audits. Supervisions had not always been recorded, and medicine audits did not always identify the recording issues we found.
People felt safe with staff entering their homes and carrying out care. Staff protected people from harm and systems were in place to reduce the risk of abuse and to assess and monitor potential risks to people.
People received their medicines. However, records of medicine administration charts were not always accurate. Risk assessments had been completed and were reviewed. Incidents and accidents were managed effectively; lessons were learned to prevent future risks.
There were enough skilled and experienced staff to meet the needs of people who used the service. Staff completed training, supervisions and appraisals. Supervision records were not always carried out.
People said staff were kind and caring. Staff treated them with respect and dignity. People were involved in decisions about their care. People's right to privacy was maintained by staff.
People were involved in meal choices and supported to maintain a balanced diet. Health needs were regularly monitored, and staff involved healthcare professionals when required.
Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive was possible. Staff understood people’s likes, dislikes and preferences and people were offered choices about their care.
A complaints system was in place and complaints were managed effectively. People told us they knew how to complain if needed.
Surveys and telephone quality checks were carried out with people to gather their views. Meetings took with staff to communicate changes within the service.
Staff provided mixed reviews about the communicate within the service between the carers and office staff. Some people felt communication could be improved in relation to changes with their visits.
We found one breach of regulation 17.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 6 November2018).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.