Melton 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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and relatives spoke highly of the staff’s kind, caring and compassionate approach. People were confident that staff respected their privacy and dignity. Examples were given about how personal care was completed in a respectful manner, such as giving a person their personal space and knocking on the bathroom door before entering.

People were positive that staff had sufficient time to support them. They felt the duration of the care call time was good, confirming they did not feel rushed. A person said, “Sometimes the half hour is more than needed, and I do say for them to sit down and have a cup of tea. They always stay to do what is needed.”

Staff were described as being polite and helpful. A person said, “When they [staff] have got me washed and dressed, they always ask if there is anything else they can do.” A relative confirmed that staff always sought consent before providing care. They said, “[Person] is a very determined person who likes things done their way. Yes, staff definitely gain consent first.”

People’s care plans and daily care records were written respectfully. Staff understood the importance of treating people with dignity and respect.Staff confirmed they had sufficient time to support people without rushing them, including time to build relationships with people and getting to know them. A staff member said, “We need to have patience to listen carefully to our clients. Sometimes they talk very slowly. We need to give them time to tell us what they want.”

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

People’s care plans provided staff with important information about their individual routines, preferences, lifestyle choices, and social, work, and family history, where this had been shared. This increased staff’s understanding and ability to deliver personalised, responsive support that reflected each person’s wishes and promoted their independence. A staff member said, “We must always treat people as individuals and respect their rights at all times”

People told us, and care staff confirmed, that having regular care staff was positive and supportive. It helped staff develop an understanding of people’s individual and unique needs, histories and preferred approaches to support.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People’s independence, choice and control were promoted. This enabled people to have control over their daily lives, make their own decisions, and be supported in doing things in the way that worked best for them. People received regular opportunities to discuss their care package, including 3 monthly formal review meetings.

People’s care plans detailed their abilities and independence, which were promoted. This supported staff to have an enabling approach. The importance of choice and control was embedded in the staff’s approach and care plan guidance. A staff member said, “It is part of our role to respect their choices and encourage independence.”

Another staff member said, “Individuals are given time to talk and given choices and options when needed to enable them to have control in their care and independence. This can be things as simple as giving them different options of clothes that are available to wear or what they would like to eat, up to supporting them with conversations around difficult topics such as bereavement or their own health.”

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.

People and relatives were generally positive about how staff responded to changes in a person’s needs, such as ill health requiring an urgent response or action. A person shared how important their care and support were to them and how they relied on care staff during times of difficulty. They said, “It’s just like having an extended family. Some days they are the only people that I see.”

Care staff informed us, and care records confirmed, that actions were taken to support people during periods of physical ill health, changes in their circumstances, or times of distress.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff were positive about working for the provider and raised no concerns about their working conditions. Staff were complimentary about the management team, including office staff, and the improvements brought about by the recently appointed registered manager.

The registered manager had an open-door policy and emphasised the importance of supporting staff. They advised that they achieved this by having effective communication and support systems and processes.

The provider had invested in an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for all staff. This provided confidential access to professional advice and support with issues such as mental health, stress, relationships, finances and wellbeing. This demonstrated how the provider prioritised staff wellbeing and recognised that a supported workforce was essential to delivering safe, high‑quality care.

Reasonable adjustments were made to support staff in their roles. This included a choice and flexibility regarding staff work patterns that took into account caring responsibilities.

Staff meetings were held to reaffirm expectations of roles and responsibilities, identify areas for improvement, and thank and acknowledge staff's commitment.