Oaksfield Care Ltd

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

This means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

This is the first assessment for this 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 registered manager had a positive culture of safety. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to identify and embed good practice.

The registered manager learnt from accidents and incidents and took action when needed to reduce future risks. Records showed that where a shortfall in staff practice was identified, for example from a medicines error, this was addressed and improvements made. Referrals to community agencies, such as occupational therapy, were made when incidents highlighted that people needed additional support to keep them safe in their home. Mobility equipment providers were contacted when concerns were raised or repairs were needed.

Records showed that updates about accidents, incidents and any changes in people's needs and risks were shared with staff and the staff we spoke with confirmed this.

The registered manager 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 registered manager ensured people received care which reflected their needs and supported them to manage risks to their health and wellbeing safely. When people needed urgent care, emergency services were contacted. When people needed additional support, referrals were made to community agencies such as community nurses and occupational therapy.

Feedback received from community health and social care professionals was positive. They felt the registered manager went above and beyond their role by updating them regularly, which helped support continuity of care for people.

Management and 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 registered manager managed safeguarding incidents effectively, by investigating incidents and concerns and reporting them appropriately. Staff completed safeguarding training and understood how to raise any concerns if they suspected abuse or neglect was taking place.

People were supported in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The registered manager ensured people’s capacity to make decisions about their care was assessed. When people lacked the capacity to express their wishes, the provider consulted their relatives or representatives to ensure any decisions made were in their best interests.

The registered manager worked with people to understand and manage their risks. 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 relatives told us staff supported people to stay safe and manage risks to their health and wellbeing. A relative told us, “The care is safe. [Family member’s] risks are managed well.” Any changes in care needs, for example a change in mobility needs, were discussed with people or relatives, so that changes such as additional staff, new equipment or adaptations to the home environment could be arranged.

Care plans and risk assessments were in place to guide staff on how to support people safely. They included information about people’s needs and risks and were reviewed regularly.

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 registered manager assessed people’s home environments and equipment, to ensure they were safe and did not pose any avoidable risks to people or staff members’ safety. Where improvements were needed to keep people or staff safe, the registered manager took action. This included contacting mobility equipment providers for new equipment or repairs and contacting occupational therapy about potential adaptations to people's home environment. This helped to ensure people remained living in an environment that was safe and met their needs.

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 and relatives told us they were supported by a small group of staff who they knew and who knew them. They told us staff visited on time, stayed as long as they should and 2 staff always attended when required to meet people's needs safely. A relative commented, “They’re reliable and do what they’re supposed to do.”

Staff completed appropriate training and received regular supervision. Their ability to provide people with safe care was assessed regularly by the registered manager, through competence assessments and spot checks (observations of staff practice during visits). People and relatives felt staff were competent. A relative commented, “Staff are skilled and well-trained.”

The registered manager followed safe practices when recruiting staff. Appropriate checks were completed before staff started working at the service, to ensure they were suitable to support people in their homes.

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 ensured staff followed safe infection prevention and control (IPC) processes when supporting people. Relatives told us staff IPC practices were good, and they wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when supporting people.

Staff completed IPC and food hygiene training and the staff we spoke with were aware of the importance of effective IPC practices, including good hand hygiene and the safe use of PPE.

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

Medicines were generally managed safely. Some minor improvements were needed to ensure compliance with national guidance, including ensuring a list of each medicine was present with the medicines administration record, when medicines were dispensed from a blister pack (sealed, push-through packaging that holds individual tablets or capsules in pre-formed pockets).

People and relatives told us people received their medicines as and when they should. Records showed staff completed medicines training and the registered manager assessed their competence to administer medicines safely.