Mi Life Care Services Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

The provider demonstrated that kindness and compassion ran throughout the business. Their systems and processes supported this to ensure people were at the centre of their care and received kindness compassion and dignity. The provider cared about the people they supported, and their passion was also demonstrated through staff, and the way they spoke about people. The provider told us, “We work hard to provide people with care that goes above and beyond. We encourage an inclusive, personalised approach and careful matching of people and staff.”

People and their relatives gave exceptionally positive feedback about the service.Including how the proactive care they had received had impacted their lives in a positive way. They consistently described feeling reassured, empowered and genuinely cared for, with staff creating trusting relationships that enhanced wellbeing, promoted happiness and gave relatives complete confidence in the quality of care provided. Relatives without exception told us they felt they could leave their family member with staff, and they would be cared for exceptionally well. Feedback included, “Mi Life are truly very caring and very professional in their approach, always maintaining high standards. The staff are truly amazing and have a deep understanding of their expectations in delivering a first-class service,” “Mi Life has been such a caring, understanding, and compassionate agency. They really listen to me and make me feel heard. Whenever I have a request or need support, they always take it seriously and do their best to help. It gives me a lot of comfort knowing they are there when I need them. Whenever I call, they are always kind, patient, and supportive. I never feel like I’m dealing with things alone because they are always there to help and guide me” and “From the very beginning, staff have been professional, compassionate, and truly dedicated to [Name’s] wellbeing. The staff always treat [Name] with dignity and respect, and it’s clear they genuinely care about what they do. They take the time to get to know [Name], which has made such a positive difference to their comfort and happiness.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People were truly at the heart of the care provided by Mi Life. Care packages were designed around people’s individual needs, likes and preferences. Staff consistently treated people as individuals, recognising and valuing what mattered most to each person they supported. Staff described how working with small, consistent teams enabled them to understand people’s routines, preferences, personalities and communication styles, allowing care to be delivered in a truly personal and meaningful way. Staff spoke warmly about the relationships they built with people and their families, explaining that these connections were central to providing care that respects identity, promotes autonomy and upholds dignity. People were supported in ways which reflected their unique needs, choices and daily presentation. A relative told us, their relation was “Very depressed”, and the provider employed a staff member who could communicate in the person’s first language. They told us, “It has really made a big difference for [Name] where they are eating more and showing interest in life. We feel like they have come back to the family after we had lost them for a while.” People and relatives told us the provider excelled at matching individuals with staff who complemented their personalities, preferences and support needs, and staff said they felt equally well‑matched to the people they supported, creating natural, trusting and meaningful relationships. . Staff were selected following a robust assessment process based on people’s preferred language and communication needs, cultural wishes and hobbies and key interests in addition to character traits. A relative told us, “When staff come for a social call, they sit and talk to [Name] and this helped their speech to return. Staff know that [Name] likes cricket and so they talk to them about things like that.” They told us this consistent approach from the staff team encouraged their family member to gain confidence in communicating again where skills were previously lost. A second relative described how their family member needed staff who would engage with them and encourage them. They told us, “The staff who come are all very talkative. They speak [Name’s] language and that really motivates and helps them.”

People were celebrated for their individuality and their own strengths. Each person had goals and aspirations they worked towards, and these were documented within their care plans. Where people were not able to communicate these to staff, staff consulted with relatives and used their knowledge of the person, what they enjoyed and cared about to help set and achieve people’s goals.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff supported people to have control over their lives and care and to understand their rights.

People told us “Staff know what I can do myself and where I need help. They always put things back where they belong so I can find them and they fold my nighty and put it on my pillow, and I think that’s lovely” and “I have [health condition], and some days are better than others. On some days I can do more things myself, but on other days I need more help. The staff understand this and they do not rush me. They help me when I need it but also let me do things myself where I can, so I can keep some independence.” A relative told us, “We have a main staff member who [Name] gets on with and who puts [Name’s] needs first. They always ask [Name] what they want and if this or that is ok.” Care plans contained detailed information about people’s needs and preferences, and these were easily accessible to staff. Staff ensured there was appropriate equipment to support and maximise people’s independence and outcomes from care and treatment.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress because they knew how to sensitively support people.

Staff had the time to observe and communicate meaningfully with people. A person told us, “They are really responsive and helpful. They are good at giving me what I need when I call. The care is well managed, I get a rota and these things are important.” A relative told us, “Sometimes staff stay over (the allocated visit time) because [Name] is slow that day and needs more time. They respond to this and don’t rush [Name].” Rotas were well planned and provided consistency to staff and people who used the service. People and relatives confirmed they received weekly schedules and informed of any changes in advance. Managers liaised well with external professionals when people’s needs changed and different levels of support may be needed, for example with social workers or health professionals. The provider ensured there were clear systems in place, such as competency checks and reviews, to identify when people’s care arrangements may need reviewing.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt extremely well supported in their role and that their management team made themselves available and supported their well-being.

Staff told us, “The personal touch stands out to me; management actually knows who you are, not just a name on a rota. Good work gets noticed and appreciated” “The [registered] manager always says that we have to take a rest and spend time with our family and not always work because we will get stressed and tired and then we won’t be happy or be able to do our best at our job. If I need a break or get stressed, then the manager will help me straight away”. “I feel well supported by management. They are understanding of work-life balance and are respectful of individual cultural, religious and personal needs wherever possible. Everyone is willing to help when needed, and there is a positive atmosphere that contributes to good morale.” The provider had a proactive approach which supported and promoted staff wellbeing both professionally and personally. For example, formal supervision sessions opened with a statement, How are you? This enabled staff to discuss personal and professional issues that may impact on work. Staff were made to feel valued and appreciated through nominations which acknowledged and celebrated excellence and going above and beyond.This proactive and compassionate approach created a highly motivated and stable workforce. Staff retention was consistently high, with many staff telling us they remained at the service because they felt genuinely valued, listened to and supported. Managers recognised that staff wellbeing directly influenced the quality of care people received and had created a culture where staff felt empowered, respected and able to provide consistently responsive, person-centred support. This approach helped ensure people were supported by experienced staff who knew them well and understood their individual needs and preferences.