- Homecare service
Meridian Health and Social Care - Leeds
Assessment report published 10 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Dates of assessment: 20th May to 29th May 2026. The assessment was prompted due to the time since the last inspection and change of provider.
At the time of the assessment, 90 people were receiving support with personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects services where personal care is provided this includes assistance with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where applicable, any wider social care provided is also considered.
The service had a newly appointed manager who was in the process of registering with the Care Quality Commission. This means that, once registered, both the provider and the manager will share legal responsibility for the management of the service, including the quality and safety of the care provided.
Systems were established to support the delivery of care, including clear care planning and appropriate risk management processes. Care plans were subject to regular review to ensure they reflected people’s current needs. Staff demonstrated a sound understanding of safeguarding and their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm.
Recruitment processes were in place to support the safe appointment of staff, and infection prevention and control measures were effectively implemented. Training arrangements and competency checks supported staff in delivering care, with the provider identifying the need to further strengthen face-to-face training provision.
Whilst incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns were recorded and acted on, there was limited evidence to demonstrate how this information was consistently reviewed and lessons learnt. After the inspection the manager sent through some examples of these.
Governance systems were in place; however, these were not consistently effective in providing robust oversight, monitoring performance or driving continuous improvement. The newly appointed manager had recognised these areas for development and had begun implementing improvements to strengthen governance processes and enhance oversight.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives gave positive feedback about the care and support provided. They told us they felt safe, with comments including, “I feel safe. Very trustworthy,” and a relative stating, “100% [name] is safe.”
People described staff as kind, caring, and respectful. One person said staff were, “Like my friends,” while another told us, “They always have time to chat.” A relative also described staff as, “Very kind and caring.”
People felt their needs were met and highlighted the positive impact of care. Comments included, “I couldn’t manage without them,” and “I have improved due to them.” Relatives also told us the service had reduced pressure on them, with one saying it had, “Taken the pressure off me.”
People said they felt listened to and able to raise concerns, and that issues were addressed when they arose. The service was described as overall flexible, with people telling us, “They will change the time for me,” and “Very accommodating.” However, one person told us, “Times are not great for me. I need to look at changing them.”
People’s awareness of management was limited. A person told us, “Don’t know the manager,” while another said, “Never seen manager.” A further comment was, “New manager, I don’t know her.” The new manager had been in post since January 2026.