Cohen 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

Safe – 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 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. The provider had an accident and incident reporting policy and procedure. The provider told us there had not been accidents and incidents in the past twelve months. However, if an accident or incident did occur, they would record the details and investigate. The provider told us they would submit notifications to CQC depending on the incident and share learning with their staff. They would update the care records and inform professionals such as the occupational therapist and speech and language therapist. The provider reviewed and acted on concerns received from families and these included details of the concerns, actions taken to rectify and outcomes.

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. The provider told us if people were moving to other services, they would support people by sharing records with the family and professionals such as social workers. The provider completed initial needs assessments, this included people’s support needs to ensure they had the right staff to meet the needs of people.

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 told us there had not been any safeguarding concerns in the past twelve months. Safeguarding policies were in place for children and adults which outlined procedures on sharing concerns with the relevant professionals. The provider told us if safeguarding concerns were identified, they would inform the relevant professionals such as the local authority and the police, they would share any lessons learnt immediately with staff and update care records. Staff completed safeguarding training.

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. The provider told us they worked with people and their families to support people and manage risk. The provider told us staff would monitor how people were feeling, for example, if people were feeling anxious, to ensure they remained safe. Risk assessments were completed with guidance for staff on how to support people to remain safe, for example, in relation to people's health and personal care needs. Relatives told us staff were aware of people's risks, for example, in relation to choking and mobility. Comments included, "[Staff] is fully aware" and " [Staff] understands [person's] needs.

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 completed risk assessments of people's homes and included information such as keeping Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) products away from people to protect them from harm.

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. The provider had recruitment procedures in place. Staff recruitment records included proof of identification, application forms with employment histories and employment references. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks had been carried out. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the police national computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. Relatives told us staff were well trained in supporting people.

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 had an infection control policy and procedure. Relatives told us they had no concerns regarding infection control. Comments included staff wore "gloves" and "washed hands."

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. The provider had an administration of medicines policy and procedure. At the time of this inspection, staff were not administering medicines. However, the provider told us if they were administering medicines, they would follow systems and processes such as, checking the labelling and dosage of the medicine and completing the Medication Administration Record (MAR). The provider told us they would report errors to the necessary professionals and if there was an incident of an underdose or overdose, they would take people to the hospital. The provider was familiar with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance in relation to safe medicine management.