Midlands Care Direct

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.

The person who used the service spoke highly of the staff’s caring approach. They confirmed staff had supported them consistently for the last 2 to 3 years and this had enabled positive relationships to develop, they confirmed staff knew and understood them well. They said, “The staff are a good group of people. They treat me right, they listen to me. They always knock on the door and wait for an answer, they don't just walk in.”

Staff spoke about the person with warmth, compassion and respect and were able to describe how they adapted their approach to meet the person's needs and wishes. Staff emphasised the importance of listening to the person, respecting their choices and supporting them in a way that maintained their dignity and independence.

Care plans reflected the importance of delivering support that upheld the person's privacy, dignity and respect, while promoting choice and independence. Guidance for staff reinforced these values and provided clear information about the person's preferences, including how support should be offered in a respectful and person-centred manner.

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.

Staff were provided with information about the person's background, personal history, routines, preferences and experiences. This information helped staff to develop a meaningful understanding of the person's life, what was important to them and how they wished to be supported.

Staff used this knowledge to inform the way they supported the person on a day-to-day basis. Discussions with staff confirmed they knew the person well and understood their individual needs, preferences and goals. Staff were able to describe the person's routines, the activities they enjoyed, how they preferred to communicate and the support strategies that worked best for them.

The person told us they felt staff understood them as an individual and respected their choices and preferences.

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

The person using the service confirmed that staff actively encouraged and supported their independence and decision-making. This included support to maintain their tenancy, undertake domestic tasks and participate in meal planning, shopping and food preparation. Staff worked alongside the person, providing support where needed while encouraging them to do as much as possible for themselves.

The person told us they shared their living environment with another person and confirmed they had been given a choice about this arrangement when moving into the service. They also told us they had been offered a choice regarding the gender of staff providing their care and support, which demonstrated their preferences were respected.

Care plans contained guidance for staff on the importance of promoting independence, choice and autonomy. Daily records completed by staff demonstrated how the person was encouraged to make decisions about their day-to-day life and supported to maintain and develop independent living skills.

Staff understood the importance of promoting independence, choice and control. A staff member said, “It’s important to try and always offer choices, listen and respect the person’s wishes every day such as meals, clothing, how the person spends their time. As a carer you must have a different mindset instead of ‘doing’ it's about ‘enabling’, using gentle encouragement, promoting them to do as much as they can possibly for themselves.”

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.

The person who used the service spoke highly of the staff and registered manager for their caring and responsive approach. They were open about some of their lifestyle choices which at times put them in unsafe positions. They told us how staff supported them to remain as safe as possible while respecting their right to make their own decisions. They said, “When I go out, it's my choice, they don't stop me, sometimes I'll say where I'm going and what time I'll be back but not always. I have no restrictions on me and come and go as I please. However, staff will go and look for me to make sure I’m keeping safe. I know they do this and I’m pleased they do.”

Staff knew the person well and understood the balance between promoting their independence and managing identified risks. Staff responded promptly to incidents and concerns, taking action to reduce risks while respecting the person's choices and rights. This helped to ensure the person received care and support that was responsive to their changing needs and circumstances.

Care records confirmed staff acted responsively to the person's needs and took immediate action when concerns arose. This included supporting the person to access healthcare services, such as contacting their GP or seeking assessment and treatment through the hospital's accident and emergency department when required. Staff also liaised with external agencies, including the police, to report concerns and support the person's safety when their whereabouts were unknown and there were concerns about their welfare.

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

The provider had a positive approach to staff wellbeing. The registered manager said, “We promote staff wellbeing through regular supervision, team meetings, open communication and access to management support. Staff are encouraged to raise any concerns about their wellbeing, workload or work-life balance, and we provide appropriate support, including flexible working where possible, wellbeing discussions and access to external support services if needed. We believe that a supported and valued workforce is essential to delivering safe, high-quality care.”

Staff were positive about working for the service. Staff told us they felt well supported and valued and spoke highly of the registered manager’s approachable and supportive leadership style. A staff member said, “The registered manager is very good, they are determined to give high quality and consistent care, they genuinely care about the person we support and the welfare of staff. Staff receive supervisions and a space to address any concerns, this includes concerns out of work which the manager is very supportive with.”

Staff confirmed that reasonable adjustments were made to support them in their roles. This included offering choice and flexibility around work patterns, particularly for those with caring responsibilities, which helped staff maintain a healthy work–life balance and continue providing consistent care.