The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: Merit Home Care Gateshead

Design Works (Room 46), William Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE10 0JP (0191) 438 1391

Provided and run by:
Kay Care Services Ltd

All Inspections

28, 30 November 2012

During a routine inspection

In this report the name of two registered managers appear who were not in post and not managing the regulatory activities at this location at the time of the inspection. Their names appear because they were still a Registered Manager on our register at the time.

During this inspection we spoke, over the telephone, with three people who used the service, and two people's relatives. People we spoke with told us they were involved in making decisions about how their care was provided. One person said,' The staff are very good. They always check with me to make sure they are doing what I want them to do.' People spoke positively about the regular workers who attended them. One person said, 'The girl that I regularly get is smashing.' Another person said, 'The staff are good, they get to know you very well.'

However people told us there were times when they were not told in advance which workers would be visiting and they received workers who they had not met before and did not know their care needs.

We found shortfalls in the planning and provision of care. We found both records relating to people's care, and those relating to the management of the service were inadequate.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs and the provider had taken steps to protect people from the risk of abuse.

12 January 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We spoke with four people using the service and two relatives during this inspection. They said they received a reliable service and had regular care workers who attended to their care and support needs.

People praised their care workers and told us they were generally happy with the service. Their comments included, 'They are nice people, genuinely caring'; 'I've no complaints at the moment'; 'The service has significantly improved'; and, 'I like the carers coming every day'.

22 September 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

The people we spoke with had all started to receive services from the agency in recent months and had previously had another care provider. They gave us mixed feedback about the service they now received. Some people said the transfer of services had gone smoothly and they continued to have the same care workers who they were familiar with. Other people told us they had experienced occasions when care workers had not turned up or were late.

They said they were not told in advance which workers would be visiting and often received workers who they had not met before and did not know their care needs. Their comments included, 'There is no stability in the service I receive', and, 'I only feel comfortable with the worker who comes each morning'.

People spoke positively about the regular workers who attended them. They said, 'They know me well and how to care for me'; 'I trust them implicitly'; and, 'She is very caring'.