TLC Community Services Limited

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 inspection we rated this requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has changed to good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 69 (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. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. When accidents and incidents occurred, staff took appropriate action. A staff member commented, “If there is an incident we inform on call and document it in the client’s call information.”The registered manager had a process in place to review incidents that occurred to identify any trends, patterns and lessons learnt and to share with staff to reduce risks to people. A staff member told us, “Once everything has been sorted the office staff or on-call will ring to make sure everything is okay and pass on any updates.”

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. Information was collected about people’s needs before they started to use the service, to ensure their needs could be met. The management team visited people to assess people’s needs and agree the level of support people needed. However, information such as a hospital ‘passport’ containing standardised information about people’s care and support needs was not available for all people to ensure they received a continuity of care when either visiting hospital or when they were discharged from the service. The registered manager told us that this would be addressed.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. Staff and leaders had received safeguarding adults training and knew how to raise any concerns. Relatives told us people were safe with staff support and trusted staff. A relative commented, “[Name] is comfortable and safe, and they like the staff coming in.” A professional commented, “Staff report any concerns in a timely manner.”

Management had completed risk assessments for people and had put measures in place to mitigate those risks. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs which was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. Improvements had been made to risk assessments to identify risks to people, and the identified risks had been transferred to care plans. Care plans contained guidance for staff to follow to keep people safe. A staff member commented, “We read risk assessments and care plans via the app before going into a call and also whilst in the client’s home.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Risks associated with people’s individual environments were assessed before staff started supporting people within their homes.

The provider made sure there were enough staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. Staff received training and ongoing support from the service to carry out their roles safely. Improvements had been made to moving and handling training for staff, and they now received face to face as well as online training. However, improvements were needed to other mandatory staff training such as safeguarding and Mental Capacity training to ensure staff received an annual update of some training to ensure they continued to carry out their role safely. The registered manager told us this would be addressed immediately with their training department. Rosters were well-managed, so people received consistent care and support from staff they knew and in a timely way. People and relatives’ comments included, “[Name] has a roster, so they know who is coming, they know all their carers”, “It is the same staff visiting” and “I know them all [staff]. I have conversations with them all.” A staff member told us, “People have the same carers each week so you can build up trust. They know who is coming and what times they are coming. We get to know people very well and their family members.” Safe recruitment practices were followed to help ensure people were protected from staff unsuitable to work in the care sector.

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 told us they had access to the personal protective equipment (PPE) they required, and people confirmed staff wore this when required. A staff member commented, “PPE is readily available at the office, carers just call into office when they need more. If carers don't have time to get up to the office a supervisor will arrange to meet them somewhere and take the PPE to them.”Staff received infection control training and competency checks.

There were policies and processes in place and improvements had been made to medicine records to ensure people received their medicines safely. Staff received training and competency checks to observe how they managed people’s medicines safely. A relative commented, “The medication is twofold, staff arrange the supply and they record everything. It is securely stored. They are very strict with the medication.”