Yorkshire and Humber Healthcare Alliance

Leeds Media Centre is registered to provide personal care and support to people. At the time of our inspection the agency was supporting 30 people with personal care. The service is located in Leeds in West Yorkshire.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes, including, older people, people living with dementia, physical and learning disabilities and mental health problems.

The service did not have a registered manager. However, action was being taken to address this. A requirement of the provider's registration is that they have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Quality audit checks had not always monitored the quality of all areas of the service. We made a recommendation around the provider introducing some new audits.

People's medicines and risks associated with people's planned care were managed safely. Risk management plans were up to date and provided staff with the information they needed to safely manage and reduce known risks. Care workers followed the guidance provided and understood how to minimise risks to people's safety.

The management team completed regular checks to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided, and encouraged people, relatives and staff to share their views about the service to drive forward improvements.

The provider's staff recruitment systems reduced the risk of recruiting unsuitable staff. People felt safe with their care workers and there were enough care workers to provide all planned care calls, at the times expected and for the length of time needed. The management team and care workers understood how to protect people from abuse and their responsibilities to raise any concerns.

Care records were personalised, detailed and informed care workers how people wanted their care and support to be provided. People, and where appropriate, relatives were involved in developing and reviewing planned care.

Care workers had a good understanding of the needs and preferences of the people they supported. People who required support had enough to eat and drink and were assisted to manage their health needs. People had their dignity respected.

The provider and care workers worked with other professionals to support people to maintain their health and well-being. People and relatives felt care workers had the knowledge and skills needed to meet their needs. Staff had completed training.

Care workers received an induction into the organisation, and a programme of on-going training to support them in meeting people's needs effectively. Care workers felt valued and received regular management support through individual and team meetings.

People's privacy and dignity was respected and their independence promoted. The care staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Care workers sought people's consent before care was provided.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care workers supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People and relatives were satisfied with the service provided and the way the service was managed. They also told us they were provided with information about how to make a complaint.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found