Partners in Care (Nottingham) 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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered 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 registered manager encouraged staff to report concerns, near misses and incidents without fear of blame, and promoted an open and transparent culture. Incidents, accidents and complaints were reviewed promptly to identify patterns, trends or emerging risks. Learning from these reviews was shared with staff, which ensured improvements to practice and additional safeguards were implemented across the service. This meant the service was able to respond effectively to issues as they arose, adapt practice where necessary, and maintain a strong focus on delivering safe, high‑quality care.

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.

Pre-admission assessments were completed with people and, where appropriate, relevant professionals to ensure the service could meet their needs. Information gathered during the assessment process was used to develop detailed care plans which provided staff with clear written guidance on how to support people safely and consistently. The service used an electronic care planning system which enabled information to be shared promptly with other professionals and emergency services when required. This supported effective communication and ensured important information about people’s needs was available to those involved in their care. This meant people experienced continuity of care and support that was well coordinated and responsive to 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.

Staff had completed safeguarding training, and the provider had a detailed safeguarding policy to guide staff on how to recognise and report concerns. The policy clearly outlined the actions staff should take in the event of a safeguarding incident, which included how to report concerns to the local authority safeguarding team. Staff were able to explain how they would protect people from harm. One staff member told us, “I watch for signs, behaviours or situations that suggest someone maybe at risk of abuse. If the person is in immediate danger if safe, I would remove them from the danger and call emergency services. I would report any concerns of abuse immediately to my line manager or a member of management and not try to investigate myself. I would also write a report containing a true reflection of facts, time date and location, what I saw and heard, any visible injuries and what actions I have taken. I would also report to the local safeguarding team. Support the individual throughout.”

People told us they felt safe in the service. One person said, “Very safe, they [staff] are very good, very caring, they [staff] make sure I’m comfortable.” This meant staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people and people felt protected from the risk of harm or abuse.

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.

Risks to people’s health, safety and wellbeing were assessed and managed in a person-centred way. People were involved in the development and review of their risk assessments, which ensured their preferences and abilities were considered. Risk assessments provided clear guidance for staff on how to support people safely while promoting their independence. This meant risks were managed safely while staff respected people’s choices and involvement in decisions about their care.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

Pre‑assessment and review processes included checks of each person’s home environment to ensure it was safe, and free from any identified risks. During these assessments, no one required specialised equipment; however, the registered manager demonstrated a clear understanding of the checks that would be necessary if such equipment was needed. This meant the registered manager had the knowledge and oversight needed to ensure environments remained safe and appropriate for people’s 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.

Staffing levels were reviewed regularly by the registered manager, who used information from care plans, risk assessments and visit schedules to ensure the rota consistently met people’s assessed needs. People and staff told us that visits were rarely late and there were no missed calls. One person told us, “I’m pretty sure I’m comfortable with who comes and when. I get the same [staff], sometimes it all depends if they are on holiday. I like to know when they [staff] are coming, they [staff] usually come at the right time. They [staff] are very good.”

Recruitment practices were safe. All required pre‑employment checks were completed before staff began work in the service, including references and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. This helped ensure that only staff who were safe and suitable were employed. Staff told us they felt confident in their roles and had access to appropriate training and supervision.

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.

Staff had completed up‑to‑date infection prevention and control (IPC) training, and the provider had a detailed policy in place to guide staff on how to respond to any infection outbreaks. People told us that staff consistently wore Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in line with current guidance. One person said, “As soon as they come in, it’s aprons and gloves. If they do something else, they take their gloves off and put on new ones.” This meant people were protected from the risk of infection through staff following safe and hygienic working practices.

The provider had effective systems in place to ensure people received their medicines safely. Staff supporting people with medicines had completed appropriate training and had their competency assessed. People’s care plans had clear, written guidance in place regarding the level of support people required with their medicines. Medication Administration Records (MAR) were completed accurately and were checked routinely by staff and the registered manager. These checks helped identify any gaps or errors promptly so that action could be taken to prevent reoccurrence. People told us staff supported them safely with their medicine support. One person told us, “They [staff] make sure I get [medicines] and it’s written down.” This meant people had their medicine managed safely.