Newnton House Residential Care Home

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 72 (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 told us there was positive learning after accidents and incidents within the home and there was transparency with people and their relatives when information was shared. Staff were aware of the expectation to document and record events ensure an accurate record. Staff took part in debriefing sessions to see what had happened to support each other and for learning purposes.

A relative told us the registered manager was open and transparent where things had gone wrong and they appreciated their honesty. They said, “They [staff] are very apologetic when things have gone wrong, that reassures me.”

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. Records confirmed the home had built good relationships with health professionals to ensure people received the right care support at each stage of the health care. Observations showed there was collaboration with social workers when people were viewing the home with the registered manager and provider. People considering a move to the home were visited by the registered manager or deputy to assess their needs and this was an in depth process to ensure the home was a suitable next step for people and their needs.

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.

We asked people if they felt safe and they smiled. A relative told us they thought their family member was kept safe and assured of their relatives’ safety. They said, “Yeah I do (think [person] is safe), I’m reassured that [person] is being kept safe when I leave.”

Staff received appropriate safeguarding training. They had a clear understanding of safeguarding and their responsibilities in keeping people safe. They could identify different types of abuse, including physical, verbal, and emotional, and knew how to report concerns. One staff member said,“If I see something, I go to the manager first. If nothing is done, I go to the area manager or even safeguarding or the police. We have a whistleblowing policy, and I know I can stay anonymous.” Records confirmed a whistleblowing policy was in place and accessible, and staff felt confident using it if needed.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage their 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 were actively involved in discussions about risks that affected them, and their views were central to decision-making. Staff spoke with individuals about their care and support needs, and relatives were also involved where appropriate to ensure a shared understanding of risk. Risk assessments were person-centred, regularly reviewed, and updated in collaboration with people’s health teams. Records to support people’s recovery during a mental health crisis were in place and this supported staff to provide effective guidance to reduce the risk of potential harm.

Staff made sure people with mobility needs had access to their equipment to reduce the risk of falls. The registered manager informed us a specialist chair had also been purchased to reduce the risk of someone falling while sitting down.

This inclusive and coordinated approach helped ensure that care was delivered safely, while respecting people’s rights and preferences. Staff worked closely with external health professionals to promote consistent and effective risk management.

The provider made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Some aspects of the environment including the recording of maintenance issues was not robust. Records showed repairs were documented, however we noted an accurate record of completed works was not available. We were shown an A4 sheet of paper of outstanding works, but most had been completed upon viewing these specific areas. We fed this back to the registered manager who advised they were in the process of returning to a more formal way of recording outstanding repairs within the home environment. The kitchen works outstanding did not place anyone at risk of harm but needed to be completed to fully support the safe delivery of care. Electrical testing was also out of date and was last completed 23 August 2023.

Other equipment within the home was maintained safely and serviced appropriately. Health and safety checks were completed within the home which included gas safety and fire safety.

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.

A relative told us they thought there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and there were enough staff on site when they attended the property.

There were a suitable number of staff present to support people’s needs within the home. Staff were around to support people with their needs in a timely manner.

Staff were recruited to the home in a safe way, following the providers recruitment policy and procedure. We viewed a sample of recruitment records, and the following documents were in place to support safe recruitment, application form, interview notes, references and disclosure and barring service check (DBS). DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

Staff received regular supervision and training to support the skills and develop their knowledge, records viewed confirmed this.

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.People were protected from the risk of infection through effective control measures. The registered manager showed us how they had introduced an external toilet facility to reduce footfall through the main building, supporting safer access for visitors and reducing potential transmission risks. Staff followed up-to-date guidance, used personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately. The home environment was clean, free from malodour, well maintained, and adapted to meet the needs of people using the home. Staff received training in infection control and understood how to keep people safe from the risk of infection.

Medicines were managed safely within the home and people received their medicines as prescribed. 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.

We viewed a sample of medicine administration records and these had been completed correctly by staff with no unexplained gaps.

The deputy manager checked medicines records towards the end of each shift to ensure no errors were present and to address any issues before staff handover. The deputy manager confirmed there had been no medicine errors which assured them the system was effective.

Staff followed safe medicines administration, this included confirming the person’s name, date of birth, the name of the medicine and gained consent before administering. People at the home were compliant in taking their medicines but staff were aware of the procedure if people refused to take their medicines.