Archived: The Meadows

We also spoke with three other people that were supported by staff from The Meadows. We used the information we gathered to answer our five key questions.

Is the service safe?

People told us they felt safe and had no concerns regarding the staff that supported them.

The majority of people were provided with 24 hour staff support and the level of support provided was dependent on people's needs.

It was clear from discussions with staff that they had a good understanding regarding the level of support each person required to maintain their safety and well-being. Risk assessments seen demonstrated that people were supported to maintain their safety whilst keeping as much independence as possible.

Recruitment records demonstrated that thorough recruitment checks were undertaken before staff commenced employment, this ensured that the provider and registered manager had assured themselves that the staff employed, were considered safe to work with the people using the service.

Is the service effective?

The support provided to people met their needs and preferences. Records seen and discussions with people using the service and their relatives demonstrated that they were involved in the development and review of their care package.

Is the service caring?

One person's family members spoke highly of the support their relative received from the staff team and told us about the positive improvements they had seen. They said; 'The change in X [person using the service] is fantastic, they seem much happier and are encouraged to do so many things. The other day X cooked dinner for us, X didn't do anything like this at home. The support and encouragement from the staff really has given X a much better quality of life.'

We observed a positive working relationship between the staff and the people they supported. People using the service said that they like the staff and confirmed they did a good job.

People's preferences and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support had been provided in accordance with people's wishes.

Is the service responsive?

The majority of people that we spoke with told us that if they had any concerns or worries they would tell a member of staff or a family member. Most people were aware of their right to make a complaint.

We saw that staff worked in partnership with people using the service to ensure they were supported according to their choice and preferences. People using the service told us about the weekly meetings that were undertaken in their homes. These meetings included discussions about people's choices of meals for the forthcoming week, what activities they had enjoyed and their preferences for activities in the following week. Records of meetings were seen that demonstrated systems were in place to gather and monitor the views of people using the service.

Is the service well-led?

People using the service completed pictorial satisfaction surveys to give their views on the support provided to them. We looked at the last completed questionnaires which demonstrated that people were happy with the support they received.

Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities and spoke positively about the management support they received. Staff told us that they were provided with monthly supervision sessions and confirmed that they found these beneficial in undertaking their job.

People told us that they were happy with the support they received. They confirmed that they had regular staff that supported them. This enabled them to get to know staff well and provided consistency in support.