Metro Homecare Ltd

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 good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement.

This meant people did not always feel well supported, cared for or treated with dignity and respect.

This service scored 55 (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 treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion. However, people did not always get support with personal care when they needed it which meant their dignity was not always maintained.

People and their families told us staff were caring and they were happy when they had regular carers. A person using the service told us, “They really are excellent, I have had the same carers for a long time now, sometimes there is a different one, but the usual ones are brilliant carers, we respect each other.”

The provider told us how they used spot checks to monitor the interactions between staff and the people they supported. They told us they did this to ensure staff reflected the organisation’s values, treating people with kindness and compassion.

The provider did not always make sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. Agreed support times recorded in people’s care plans were not always met. This meant people did not always receive support which matched their needs and preferences.

People told us they were happy when care was consistent. A person using the service told us how they struggled with their mental health and how their carers made a difference. They told us, “They [carer] are so friendly. I sometimes feel very unwell, but the time we spend talking is so helpful. I feel so much better each time because of this.”

Staff we spoke to told us how they had developed relationships with people they supported. A staff member told us, “We treat people with respect and through our conversations with people over time we have really got to know each other.”

The provider did not always promote people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Due to lateness of calls, people did not exercise their choice or control over when they received their care. A person told us, “I know they will eventually come but often they say they are stuck in traffic.”

The staff told us about the choices they offered to people and about the importance of people remaining as independent as possible. For example, a staff member told us, “They [person] will decide who will do what in preparing a meal and they will use this time to do things they need to and chat at the same time, which is important for them.”

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 or distress. The provider’s care planning system enabled staff to record and monitor what people were eating and drinking which meant they could report any concerns they had to a health professional promptly if required.

A staff member told us, “I always support the same people now, so I know them well. If I see any signs they are unwell, I call my manager and if they are not available, I would call either 111 or 999 directly.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff. However, staff working without regular rest days meant there was a risk people would not receive the best care possible. The providers systems indicated at times there was no travel time allocated between calls. This meant staff were rushed at some calls and there was evidence of calls that were shorter than agreed.

Staff told us they were happy working for the provider. The staff we spoke with told us they enjoyed working for the provider. A staff member told us, “I have worked for the provider for a long time. They are supportive and I get lots of training, which helps me do my job. Recently, I have completed a lot of health and safety courses as well as training around the needs of older people, such as manual handling and dementia care.”