Meade Close

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of Meade Close, a care home offering personal care. The inspection focused on how safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led the service is. It aims to give families a clear picture of the home's performance based on the inspectors' findings. The inspection highlighted areas of strength and also identified specific points for development to further enhance the resident experience and care quality.

Regarding safety, the home provides care in a clean and adapted environment, with residents able to personalise their rooms and pursue their interests. Staff are trained to protect residents from harm and work effectively with other agencies. While there were some minor record-keeping shortfalls, these did not impact safety, and the home has a plan to address them. The home also has robust systems for fire safety and incident management.

The effectiveness of care is demonstrated through comprehensive needs assessments and care plans that support residents in living healthier lives and accessing necessary healthcare. Staff receive training and supervision, and the home's design meets residents' needs. A recommendation has been made to ensure more staff complete positive behaviour support training to further personalise care.

In terms of caring, staff are noted for their kind and compassionate approach, respecting residents' privacy and dignity. They understand how to protect residents from abuse and ensure their needs are met with attentiveness and consideration, particularly during mealtimes. Residents' cultural preferences are accommodated in their food and drink choices.

Responsiveness is evident in how the home supports residents' needs and choices, ensuring they have maximum control over their lives in the least restrictive way possible. Staff involve residents and their families in care planning, and the home works with external agencies to provide consistent care. The home also operates within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.

However, the service requires improvement in its leadership and management. While the registered manager has only been in post for a short time and is implementing positive changes, the service is undergoing a period of transition with staff restructuring. This has impacted the consistency of care quality, although not safety. Efforts are underway to improve family engagement, and a plan is in place to address ongoing issues and drive further improvements.