Napier Homecare 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 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 positive learning culture where staff understood their responsibility to report concerns and incidents. Lessons were learnt and shared across the team through clear communication channels. Staff described feeling heard and supported, and feedback confirmed that team meetings were effective in reinforcing expectations for safe practice. Incident reporting was robust and included opportunities for reflective learning, helping staff improve their approach to managing 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. Systems and processes supported safe care delivery. Call monitoring identified inconsistencies, such as short calls or recording overlaps. These were promptly investigated with explanations provided by the provider. Continuity of care was strong with most people supported by a small, inducted team, ensuring safe transitions and familiarity. Staff had clear guidelines about when and how to report safety concerns, which helped maintain structured and safe care pathways.

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 were protected from abuse because staff understood safeguarding processes and had appropriate training. Clear safeguarding strategies were in place for individuals, and staff were confident in escalating concerns to managers. People consistently stated that they felt safe with staff. The provider promoted a culture in which speaking up was encouraged, helping ensure concerns were addressed quickly.

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. People and their families were actively involved in identifying and managing risks. Risk assessments were completed where risks were known, including fire safety and medicines. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way, including adapting call times and staff presence to reduce individual anxiety.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The provider went out of their way to ensure environmental safety was well managed. Each person had an environmental and fire risk assessment for their home, including a visit from the fire service and an annual review. There were staff access arrangements so that staff did not enter without permission. Staff understood their responsibilities when visiting homes and followed clear entry protocols. Environmental risk assessments were thorough and clear.

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. Recruitment files were well organised and complete, including references, DBS checks, and induction records. Staff received at least three shadow shifts before working independently. Training was described as very good, with all mandatory modules completed. Staff reported feeling supported by approachable leaders and appreciated flexible rota planning. One person told us, “They all do an awful lot of training and it shows.”

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. Training and competency assessments ensured staff understood how to maintain good hygiene and infection prevention practice. People’s home environments were assessed for safety, and staff followed clear expectations for safe visiting and access, PPE was available for staff to use in people’s homes. There was no evidence of concerns regarding infection control during the inspection, and staff followed policies designed to protect people and themselves.

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 were made. Medicines were managed safely. Medicines administration records reviewed showed no errors. Staff had clear risk assessments for medication where appropriate, and policies and procedures were readily available. The provider used a least restrictive approach, adjusting call lengths for individuals whose anxiety increased if staff stayed too long after administering medicines.