Lovehands Care Services Ltd

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 72 (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 had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

Regular meetings helped staff raise any issues for discussion. Staff felt listened to. One staff member said, “Managers do listen to any safety concerns we have; they are always there.” Another staff member said, “Things do improve if we feedback. After I joined, I’ve seen a lot of changes and improvements, if we can improve something we will.” Systems were in place to report and review any accidents, incidents or near misses. This helped to promote a positive culture of safety.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

When other health and social care professionals were involved in people’s care, this was identified in people’s care plans. For example, the involvement of district nurses. Relevant information was accessible in people’s homes for other healthcare professionals to access in case emergency healthcare was needed.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

People felt safe with the care provided by Lovehands Care Services Ltd. One relative told us, “I feel we are safe with the carers; they are very careful and respectful of my [family member] and they are happy with them.” The provider had policies and procedures in place to follow should a person be unable to understand decisions regarding their care. This helped to ensure people’s rights would be upheld.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

One relative told us, “I have been involved right from the start with my [family member’s] care planning and am regularly involved.” Care plans identified risks and what actions staff were to follow to reduce these. For example, when people used fall alert pendants, staff made sure people had these on them when they finished their care call. This helped ensure people had a way of reducing risks from falls in between care calls.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

People’s homes had been checked for any risks so that people could receive their care safely. For example, checks were made on what equipment people used and what fire safety measures were in place.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked well together to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

Staff received training and induction to help ensure they were fully supported in their job roles. Staff told us they felt confident in their roles and that there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. One staff member told us, “We have enough staff, we don’t run late or feel rushed. There is a roster in place for [person’s] care and it is planned 1 month ahead and there are always staff on backup.” Staff contingency plans were in place to help ensure people would continue to receive care should their usual care staff be unavailable.

Records showed leaders had completed the required pre-employment checks and processes when recruiting staff to work in care. This included interviews, reference and disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

Staff had received training on how to prevent and control the risks from infections. Leaders completed spot checks on people’s care, including how staff worked to prevent and control the risks from infection. This helped to reiterate good practice as well as identifying any shortfalls. Leaders had agreed a variation from their policy to accommodate one staff member’s individual needs. They checked to assure themselves this did not compromise infection prevention and control measures.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened. However, improvements were needed for the management of medicines that were required ‘as and when.’ For example, guidelines were not always in place for staff to follow on when ‘as and when required’ medicines were needed, and records had not always recorded whether these medicines had been effective. Leaders took immediate steps to introduce guidelines and improve record keeping for these medicines.

Records showed people received their medicines as prescribed and care plans and risk assessments were in place to help ensure medicines were administered safely. People were happy with how staff supported them with any medicines. One relative told us, “I sort my [family member’s] medication but the carers give it to them when they are here. All goes well, no problems.”