Medical Support UK Ltd

This was the first time we inspected the service. We rated it as good because:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment. The service met agreed response times. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients and supported them to make decisions about their care. Staff had access to good information.
• The service made sure staff were competent for their roles. Managers appraised staff’s work performance and held supervision meetings with them to provide support and development.

However:

• The service did not have face to face, or equivalent, team meetings, where all staff members were present, however there were informal daily catch ups.
• The service did not have effective systems in place for compliance monitoring and audit of handwashing.
• The service did not always store oxygen cylinders correctly in its transport vehicles.