AcreCare 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 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 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.

Staff were trained in safeguarding and understood the importance of recording and investigating incidents to ensure risks were reduced. The registered manager showed us how the electronic patient record system could be used to record incidents, which they could then review. A staff member told us, “There is information in the handbook and you can access the policies via the app. We have training in safeguarding and we also have checks that we know what’s what.” People and their relatives felt safe, a relative said, “They explain things clearly and involve me in decisions, especially when equipment is concerned. I feel confident they would say if something wasn’t safe, but they handle situations with care and respect.”

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.

People told us they felt their care was safe and well managed. The registered manager ensured that people and their relatives were kept informed about other services that might be available to them. The registered manager explained how she would liaise with other health care professionals, especially during pre-assessments, to ensure all care details were understood. If people moved from their homes to a care home, the service was able to share relevant information, with consent and within the confines of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

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 how the staff at Acre Care improved their lives and kept them safe, both people receiving support and their families were very positive about how safe they felt. A relative told us, “Communication is excellent. Any worries and they let me know straight away. They check in with me regularly, so I never feel out of the loop.” A person said, “I feel completely safe with them, they know what they are doing and I trust them. They notice the little things, like if I am unsteady or tired, and they make sure I don’t overdo it.”

Staff understood safeguarding, a staff member told us, “I know the sorts of things to report, although I have never needed to report anything. I have been lucky in that respect. I am confident though if I needed to report anything, I know how to do it and who to talk to.”

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.

Senior staff wrote risk assessments to enable staff to support people safely, while encouraging independence. Staff told us they knew where to access the risk assessments on the care plans and they read them before visiting people for the first time. Staff were guided by people in their care, a relative said, “Staff know how to use his hoist and complicated wheelchair safely. They always make sure equipment is handled properly so there’s no risk.” A person told us, “They always take care with what they do, so I never feel at risk.”

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

Staff managed risks within people’s homes, with their consent, to keep them safe. The registered manager told us staff assessed the environment each time they entered and reported any new risks they noticed. Staff followed the risk assessment guidance on the electronic care system that was personalised for each person. A relative told us, “Staff are professional and careful, they keep everything clean and safe. They know how to manage the home environment, so risks are minimised.” A person said, “They are organised and efficient, nothing ever gets overlooked.”

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.

There were sufficient trained staff to support people safely. The registered manager told us staff were matched to people based on both their skills and personalities. This ensured people were not only supported safely but were able to feel comfortable with the staff. Staff told us they felt well trained and that gave them confidence in the care they provided. A staff member said. “Everyone we care for is very safe. The office put a lot of effort into the risk assessments. I have

confidence in the office staff. There are risk assessments for us too, it can be nerve wracking going into a new home, but the information is all on [the electronic care system].”

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 managed the risk of infection via the use of appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves and aprons, and frequent cleaning and hand washing. If people requested it, staff would wear masks to reduce the risk of airborne illnesses. Staff would also wear a mask if they had cold symptoms. A person said. “They use gloves and are always very clean and good at keeping everything clean and tidy. They are very aware of infection control.”

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.

Where people needed support with their medicine, staff took sole responsibility of the administration, which ensured doses were neither missed nor repeated. The service was flexible to enable people to have staff visit when their medicines were due, and the registered manager liaised with people’s GPs if needed to confirm medicines were taken appropriately. Medicines were recorded on the electronic care system. A staff member told us, “We never leave medicines out for people to take later. We will talk to doctors and pharmacy and see if we can amend the times of the visits to work with the medicines or vice versa, for example we might move a medicine to a morning call time.” People were very happy with the medicines support, a relative told us, “Medicine is given from a blister pack, when it should be, and on time.” Another relative said, “They will even contact the GP for him, and then let my sister and I know, to keep us fully aware of what's going on.”