Southview Home Care

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

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 taken steps to build a more 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.

The provider told us about the steps they had taken when they were informed of missed visits. In response, they had carried out an investigation and bought a new care system which ensured staff could only log their visits when they were at the person’s home.

Staff told us about the training they had completed to help them deliver safe care. This was confirmed by staff training records. The provider told us they had completed further professional training to improve their management skills. Staff had access to a computer in the office to complete training if their circumstances meant this was not possible at home. Rotas showed blocked out time for care staff to come to the office and complete their training.

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 people had complex care needs, only experienced and specially trained staff attended to provide continuity and expertise. New staff were introduced to the person, shadowed experienced staff and completed relevant training before working with people with complex care needs. In an emergency, the management team said they would carry out a visit rather than sending an inexperienced worker.

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 and their families said staff were kind and caring. They said they felt safe and were not rushed by staff who always stayed their allotted time. Staff were provided with safeguarding training and knew their responsibility to report concerns. The provider shared with us how they had recently supported one person at midnight. This was after a call from a family member who was concerned their relative had been discharged unsafely from hospital. A safeguarding referral had been made to raise awareness of the person’s vulnerability.

Recruitment processes helped ensure new staff were suitable to work with people in their own homes. These included references, employment history and police checks. Experienced staff were also asked for feedback on the attitude and approach of new staff to help confirm their suitability.

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 confirmed assessments of their care needs took place. For example, a relative said, “They are totally focused on (X’s) needs and requirements.”

Before providing care visits, the provider and the care co-ordinator visited people to assess their care needs. This initial assessment included discussing risks to people’s health and safety with them. We saw examples of where, with the agreement of the person receiving care, health professionals were contacted for specialist advice and training. For example, working with the speech and language team when a person had swallowing difficulties.

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 management team visited people in their own homes to assess the environment to ensure they could risk assess the working conditions for their staff. It also gave them an opportunity to assess risks for the people they were supporting. For example, making referrals to health professionals when equipment was needed to support people’s independence and safety, such as requesting the fitting of grab rails. Staff understood their responsibility to report concerns, including those connected to equipment. They told us their care app always included helpful information about the property and how to manage potential risks.

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.

People told us the staff group made them feel “safe” and “secure.” They told us staff were trained to carry out their role. For example, one person said, “The care staff seem well trained” and another told us, “The service is excellent, and I have high standards of care.”

The provider and staff explained how inductions and training were arranged, which included pairing new staff with experienced employees. As part of their role the care co-ordinator carried out competency checks for newly trained staff and spot checks across the staff group. Staff confirmed if people needed 2 staff to move them, there was always another staff member to work with them.

Staff completed a range of training recorded in staff files, including safeguarding and moving and handling. Recruitment was well managed with appropriate checks to ensure applicants were suitable to work with people who might be vulnerable.

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

People told us staff practice was good. The infection control equipment was stored in the agency’s office and was well stocked with gloves, aprons etc. The provider explained how staff could pick up replacement stock when needed. Or in an emergency, stock was taken out to staff by the management team. Staff confirmed personal protective equipment was always available, and they completed training in infection control and food hygiene.

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.

Staff supported people with their medicines, if needed. A relative said, “The care worker makes my partner feel secure. If I am not around, they help him with the medications. I like how they support him.” The management team oversaw how medicines were managed. They also provided hands on care and support and told us they completed spot checks on staff medicine practice, storage and recording during these visits.

Staff confirmed they received training in medicine administration and recording, with an app to refer to for instructions and guidance. Staff confirmed they could always contact the management team for advice, with one saying they always got “a quick response.”