We carried out a review of the data available to us about Second to None Care Ltd on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Second to None Care Ltd, you can give feedback on this service.
Medowfield (also known as Second to None Care) is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care to people living in their own homes throughout the Durham area. At the time of this inspection there were 46 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke positively about the care they received and said they felt safe. Staff recruitment was safe and there were enough staff to safely deliver a consistent service. People received care and support from a regular team of staff. Medicines were well managed and there were good infection control measures in place.
The service had systems in place to ensure people were protected from abuse and harm. Staff had completed safeguarding training and concerns raised were investigated. Individual and environmental risks were identified and mitigated against. Systems were in place to ensure people would continue to receive support in the event of an emergency.
Care plans were person centred and provided staff with clear information on how to support people in line with their preferences. People and relatives told us they were aware of the complaints procedure and were confident issues would be addressed.
The registered manager had developed good working relationships between staff, relatives and external professionals to ensure people received appropriate care and support.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 28 March 2020).
Why we inspected
We undertook this focused inspection to check the provider had made the required improvements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the key questions safe, responsive and well-led.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Medowfield on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Medowfield (also known as Second to None Care) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people living in their own homes. At the time of inspection 13 people were receiving personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People spoke positively about the care they received and said they felt safe. Staff understood safeguarding processes and knew how to raise any concerns.
People and their relatives told us staff mostly arrived on time and stayed for the right amount of time, but there had been some occasions when calls were late. Staff used an electronic call monitoring system to log in and out of calls, but regular quality checks were not being carried out on call timings and duration. Contingency plans needed further development.
Recruitment procedures were not always safe as staff files did not always contain full employment histories. The registered manager had identified this and improvements had already been made. Other background checks had been carried out appropriately.
Medicines were mostly managed safely. Where there were gaps in medicine records or daily notes the registered manager had already identified this.
Staff completed an induction and received training in key areas and supervision. Staff told us they felt supported.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People had access to healthcare services and staff knew how to recognise when people's needs changed and where to seek advice.
Staff were caring and treated people with kindness and respect. Positive relationships had been formed between staff and people using the service, and people were encouraged to maintain their independence.
Two care plans we viewed were incomplete, although staff knew these people’s needs well. This was rectified during the inspection. Complaints were handled appropriately.
Some aspects of the service were not always well managed. Although some checks and audits had been carried out, these were not sufficiently comprehensive or always effective.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 12 March 2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about staff recruitment checks. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. We found that recruitment checks had not always been thorough, but the provider had already identified this, and improvements had been made before our inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.