Medicare Link Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service Medicare Link Limited. This key question has been rated Good.

This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

Prior to people receiving care and support from the service, management completed a needs assessment. Both people and their relatives were actively involved in the care planning and initial assessment processes. The assessments captured people’s essential care requirements and personal preferences, likes, dislikes, and other important information.

People told us, “I was fully involved with the assessment from the agency, I also felt listened to and my views were added to the care plan on how I wanted to be supported.”

Care plans were detailed. They included each person’s life history and placed emphasis on what mattered most to them, as well as their religious and cultural needs. This approach ensured that care was both person-centred and respectful of individual backgrounds and values.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Support was person-centred, with people's preferences integrated into their plans. People were encouraged to participate in decisions about their care, promoting collaboration for their health and wellbeing.

People told us that, “I make my own decision around my care and support with the help from my career when I need it.”

Staff completed ongoing training to keep their skills and knowledge current, and the provider conducted frequent spot checks to confirm that staff were applying these skills correctly in their work.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

People reported that staff actively monitored their health to ensure they received suitable support. This involved observing for any signs of changes in health, and when identified, staff would assist the person in accessing appropriate care and support from health professionals, such as their GP.

Staff reported that communication within the service is effective and positive. Managers were consistently characterised as both knowledgeable in their roles and approachable. Staff comments included, “Yes, I feel confident in asking questions to my manager.” Another staff said, “There is good teamwork, regular communication, and opportunities for development, which helps maintain high standards of care.”

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

The assistant manager, told us that they played a crucial role in supporting people to lead healthier lives, provided guidance and advice, which helped to give encouragement for making healthier lifestyle choices, such as promoting balanced diets and regular physical activity. By supporting people to take control of their own wellbeing, staff helped reduce the likelihood of future reliance on care and support services.

A relative told us, “This was the first service we chose for us, and we don’t have any plans to change as we are very happy with the staff and the service we get.”

Staff told us that they worked with external health and social care professionals as required. This involved liaising with GPs, nurses, dieticians, physiotherapists, and other relevant experts. By working together, the team was able to provide holistic care, tailored to each person’s individual needs. Staff comments included, “I promote health by monitoring changes and encouraging medical support.” Another staff said, “I monitor health changes, listening to the person and their family members about any concerns they have and from the manager about the health condition. I encourage attendance to medical appointments, and report concerns promptly. I promote healthy lifestyle choices where appropriate.”

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

People’s’ outcomes were monitored to help support improvements. Monitoring systems were implemented to identify any developing healthcare needs, with input from external specialists sought to help address these requirements. Team meetings, staff supervisions, and routine care reviews all focused on outcomes and ways to enhance results for the people receiving care.

Care records were tailored to people’s needs and preferences. For example, care plans held clear information on how and when the persons care was delivered. The plans were clear and succinct. This made it clear for staff to read and understand the support that was required.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

The provider ensured that people were fully informed of their rights regarding consent before any care or treatment was delivered. Staff told us that they explained how they were going to support the person before the task was completed. A staff member said, “I always explain the care I will provide and obtain verbal consent before I continue. I respect the person’s right to say no.”

People told us that staff asked for their consent each time care was given to them by staff. A person said, “Staff ask me before care is given to me.”

Policies and procedures were in place to ensure that consent to care was consistently obtained. Staff demonstrated good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and were able to effectively apply its principles in their daily work.