Personalized Care Plus Ltd Office

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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good.

This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

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 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.

Systems were in place to ensure learning from incidents and accidents was identified, shared with the staff team, and used to improve practice. The management team ensured that accidents and incidents were investigated to identify any actions required to reduce the risk of recurrence. Management demonstrated an open and transparent approach to incidents and accidents, ensuring they were appropriately recorded and reported and to promote a positive safety culture.

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.

The provider had systems and processes for assessing people’s care and support needs before care was provided. Assessments were completed in partnership with people and their representatives, including health care professionals. Information was shared with relevant professionals ensuring people received the support they needed. A professional thanked the service for working hard to stabilize a care package. Another professional said, “Carers will liaise with the registered manager and myself and our care co-ordinator to ensure we are all kept in the loop about any problems/issues.” This demonstrated a collaborative approach to ensuring safety.

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 told us they felt safe and supported by staff. One person said, “I feel safe with the carers.” Another person told us 2 staff supported them when using the hoist and how they definitely felt safe with this.

Staff understood their responsibility to protect people from abuse and neglect. Staff had completed safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities in keeping people safe. They were confident in recognising signs of abuse or harm and knew how to report concerns promptly and appropriately. This helped ensure people were protected from the risk of harm.

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.

Care records we looked at reflected individuals’ needs and preferences while helping to manage risks. Care records reflected people’s individual needs, preferences, and risks. Management regularly monitored and reviewed identified risks to ensure people received care in a safe and consistent way.

One person’s care plan did not specify the circumstances in which rescue medication should be administered. We discussed this with the registered manager, who confirmed that a separate seizure management plan was in place. And that a hard copy of this plan was available both at the person's home and within an emergency pack. The plan, was detailed which had been completed by the epilepsy specialist nurse, provided guidance on when the medication should be administered. The registered manager confirmed that the care plan had been updated to clearly direct staff to follow the seizure management plan for the administration of rescue medication.

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 received care in their own homes from Personalized Care Plus Ltd Office staff. Environmental risk assessments had been completed to identify and manage potential hazards within the persons home environment. This ensured appropriate measures were in place to promote the safety of both the person receiving care and staff providing the support. Staff confirmed that if they had any concerns regarding the safety of a property or the equipment being used, they would escalate these promptly to management for action. One staff member told us, “I make sure the equipment is in good condition and before use check when last serviced”.

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

The service maintained adequate staffing levels and trained staff to meet people's needs, which people using the service and staff confirmed. One person said, “If a new carer starts, they are shadowed by an experienced carer for a time to ensure they are working correctly.” Staff expressed that they received training relevant to the people they supported, together with regular supervision and competency assessments. A staff member told us, “Before you start you have to complete all your training and shadow for two shifts and then someone will observe your practically.” The registered manager confirmed that staff undertaking delegated healthcare tasks have their competencies assessed by nurses. This was also confirmed by a nurse employed at the service. This ensured staff had the skills, knowledge, and support needed to deliver effective care.

The provider had recruitment processes in place to ensure that suitable staff were employed to work within the service. Staff records demonstrated that appropriate pre-employment checks had been completed. However, some gaps were identified in employment histories. We raised this with the registered manager who took immediate action and obtained full employment histories following the site visit.

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.

The provider completed infection prevention and control audits to ensure the effective management of infection risks. Any areas identified for improvement were addressed and demonstrated as completed at the subsequent audit

Staff told us they had access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). A staff member said, “Individual safety is promoted during personal care by observing PPE protocols and hygiene.” Staff training records confirmed staff had completed infection prevention and control training, enabling them to follow safe practices and reduce the risk of infection. People told us staff wore PPE when they were being supported by them. A relative told us, “They [staff] wear protective clothing and wash their hands for protection from infection.”

The provider made sure that medicines were managed safely and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences.

Care plans we reviewed contained guidance for staff on how people’s medicines should be administered, including the level of support they required to take their medicines, the time of administration or the route.

Staff confirmed they were appropriately trained, supported and had undergone competency checks to ensure medicines were administered safely. Processes to make sure people received their medication as prescribed were in place, including audits and daily checks. This ensured any errors would be identified at the earliest opportunity and actions identified and implemented to reduce the risk of recurrence