Archived: Middlecross

Middlecross is a residential home providing personal care and support for up to 32 older adults; some of whom are living with dementia. The home also offers a respite care service. It is located in the Armley area of Leeds.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People who used the service told us they felt safe with the staff and the care they were provided with. We found people were cared for by appropriately trained staff who were supported to understand how to deliver good care. Risk assessments were in place to help ensure people received safe care.

People received their medication as prescribed and there were safe, well organised systems in place for receiving, administering and disposing of medicines. Health care needs were met well, with prompt referrals made when necessary.

The registered manager and staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). They had made appropriate applications to the relevant authorities to ensure that people's rights were protected.

People were supported to have sufficient amounts of food and drink to meet their needs.

The care plans provided staff with good information about how to meet people's individual needs, understand their preferences and how to care for them safely.

The staff we spoke with were able to describe how individual people preferred their care and support to be delivered and the importance of treating people with privacy, dignity and respect. Staff were kind and caring and treated people respectfully.

There were good, effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and ensure continuous improvement.

People who used the service, relatives and staff spoke highly of the registered manager and their commitment to the leadership of the service.

Was the service safe?

We spoke with six people who used the service. They all told us they were happy with the care and support they received. One person told us 'It's nice and comfortable here'. Another told us 'I am happy enough here, people are very friendly'.

We saw evidence that staff received regular training in Safeguarding vulnerable adults. This meant they were able to protect people from the risk of harm. We saw that the service had an up to date Safeguarding Policy. Staff had regular training on a variety of subjects and the staff we spoke with told us they felt the training was important as it helped them keep their skills and knowledge up to date. The staff all received regular supervision and they felt that supervision was a good source of support for them.

The service was clean and well maintained. Equipment was well maintained and serviced regularly therefore not putting people at unnecessary risk.

The manager set the staff rota and ensured that there was the right mix of skills on each shift. This meant that people were being cared for by staff that were qualified and experienced.

Recruitment practice was safe and thorough. There were policies and procedures in place for the service to manage any concerns about staff's performance.

Was the service effective?

People had an assessment of their care needs prior to admission into the home. Once they had settled into the home, a further assessment of need was carried out and care records were developed. The resulting care records were then reviewed monthly. This ensured that people were having their needs assessed on a regular basis.

Was the service caring?

We spoke with four members of the staff team. They told us they loved working at the home, one member of staff told us 'The team gets on well, we are like a family'. The staff felt that there were enough staff on duty to support people.

We saw that interaction between staff and people who used the service was warm and respectful. The people we spoke with told us they knew the staff team well and felt able to ask them for anything. The staff we spoke with told us that they had known a lot of the people for a very long time and had developed a good relationship with people. This meant that they had a good understanding of people's care needs.

Was the service responsive?

The manager told us they held monthly meetings with people to encourage them to share their experiences of living at the home. People told us they knew who to talk to if they weren't happy.

The service provider carried out an annual review of the service. They involved people who used the service, relatives and friends, external agencies and care staff.

The service had an up to date complaints policy and procedure that people could use if they needed to make a complaint. The information was on display in the reception area The service provided information for people in an easy to read format. This meant people who had difficulty communicating had access to the information on how to complain.

Was the service well led?

Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities and felt able to talk to the manager if they had any concerns. The people we spoke with told us they could talk to the manager if they had any concerns. We spoke with some visitors to the home and they felt that the home was well managed. They too felt able to talk to the manager if they had any concerns.

People's care plans contained a level of information that ensured their needs were being met. We spoke with three people and they told us they were happy with the care, treatment and support they received. One person told us, 'I have settled alright, I think it is nice.'

We observed that people were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment. There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The people we spoke with told us that they had no concerns with the cleanliness of the home. One person told us, 'My room is always clean and tidy.'

People were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work. This included carrying out a Criminal Records Bureau check and obtaining references.

There were quality monitoring programmes in place, which included people giving feedback about their care, support and treatment. This provided a good overview of the quality of the service's provided.

All the relatives spoken with told us how they were given appropriate information and support by the staff regarding their relative's care and treatment. They also said they had been actively involved in planning the care and support for their loved ones. One relative explained 'We spoke at length on admission about their care needs and I know their care is regularly reassessed.' Another relative told us 'The communication is very good. The staff always keep us informed.'

During our visit we saw there were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs. We spoke with the deputy manager who told us staffing levels were appropriate to meet the needs of the people living in the home. We reviewed the staff rota and this confirmed there were sufficient numbers of staff.

Relatives spoken with said they had no concerns or complaints about the home at this time. One relative said 'I feel my relative is safe and well cared for in Middlecross.'