New Age 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 – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has changed to good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 66 (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.

When accidents and incidents occurred, staff took appropriate action, including seeking medical attention if required. One staff member told us, “If a person had a fall, I would remain calm and make sure the person is safe. I would assess the situation without unnecessarily moving them, particularly if I suspected an injury. I would follow their care plan and relevant policies and procedures, contact emergency services if required, inform the office and complete an incident report.”

Effective systems were in place to identify any trends or patterns in accidents and incidents so actions could be taken to mitigate emerging risks. Any lessons learnt were discussed in team meetings.

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.

People’s needs were fully assessed before they were supported by the service. This information was used to develop care plans and risk assessments to ensure staff had the information needed to provide safe, personalised care.

Staff knew people well and demonstrated a good understanding of their needs, working closely with health and social care professionals to ensure people achieved good outcomes. One staff member said, “Communication is generally very good. The office staff keep us informed about changes to people, care arrangements and other important information.” Another staff member told us, “Managers always say if there is any change to people’s needs, please let us know. If needed they come out and talk to the client, discuss any changes and make sure they are happy, communication is good.”

Positive feedback shared from a social care professional who worked closely with the service was, “I found the senior managers to be receptive, understanding and very person centred in understanding the difficulties, and nuances patients with dementia experience. I met the care team on several occasions at the office, to help them gain a greater understanding of the dynamics and challenges a particular patient and family member presented with, again this led to a more patient focused care plan, and ultimately transparency and trust with the family.The care team and management very often keep me updated on any concerns they have, communicating clearly within a timely manner."

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 felt safe with staff. One person told us, “I am safe as they know me well and I can trust them.” A relative said, “I do feel safe, they are kind, trustworthy and very respectful.” Another relative told us, “[Person] feels very safe as he knows the carers well. He genuinely likes them and feels comfortable with them.”

Staff understood their responsibilities to keep people safe. One staff member told us, “I would report any concerns straight away to the manager who would then escalate as needed, to ensure action was taken to keep the person safe.”

Records showed the management team had referred safeguarding incidents to the Local Authority (LA) and CQC appropriately.

The management team and staff understood the importance of consent and assuming people had capacity to make decisions about their care and support under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

Staff confirmed they had received training about the requirements of the MCA and demonstrated an understanding of its principles. One staff member told us, “We can’t force people to do things, we must ask their permission and respect their decisions."

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 and relatives felt staff supported them to manage any potential risks associated with their care needs. One person said, “I have cellulitis on my legs, and the carers massage my legs which really helps.” Another person told us, “The carers will apply cream to my feet and creases, I had a pressure sore in my groin and hip. The district nurse visited initially but the carers are doing an excellent job.”

Risk assessments were in place to guide staff on how to support people safely, to mitigate risks associated with for example, falls, catheter care, skin integrity and people’s mental wellbeing. Records confirmed staff had followed these instructions.

Care records and risk management plans had been regularly reviewed and updated where needed.

Environmental risk assessments of people’s own homes to ensure a safe working environment for staff to deliver care, were completed. Risks included the home layout, lighting, utilities and any potential hazards.

The provider ensured staff were trained to use any required equipment. One person told us, “I have ceiling tracking hoists, and staff are very competent, I have never needed to prompt them with anything. If the occupational therapists (OT) are here for example with a new shower chair the staff are always present when the rep and the OT are explaining how to use the equipment such as how to tilt it in place and use the braking system. They are always trained on the equipment.”

Staff understood their responsibilities to maintain a safe working environment and report any concerns immediately to the appropriate person, or services. One staff member told us, “I always check the slide sheets and slings before using them, to make sure they are safe. Any signs of damage need to be reported so a replacement can be ordered."

Improvements were needed to both the oversight and recording of staff training. The provider made sure there were enough 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 was in the process of switching to a new electronic system to record training completed by staff. At the time of our inspection the information provided was incomplete, and the registered manager explained they were having ‘difficulty locating historic records’. A newly appointed training manager was in post, and the management team had made the decision to retrain all staff which involved a 5-day, face to face training course. Staff attendance is to be staggered to prevent it impacting on service delivery and the goal is for all staff to have completed this by early November 2026. While we acknowledge the provider had identified the issue prior to our inspection, we could not be assured all staff had received up to date training they needed for their roles.

People and relatives were happy with the support they received from staff. One person said, “They are the 4th care agency I have had and are by far the best. They are consistent, reliable and make sure I feel dignified and safe.” Another person told us, “They are very kind and caring and are interested in me. Conservation is so important, they are always so respectful.”

People and relatives confirmed they had not had any missed calls and staff stayed for the full duration of their care call. One relative told us, “The carer is on time, stays for the allocated time and is well trained for our needs. We haven’t had any missed calls.”

Rotas demonstrated people were supported by a consistent staff team and received their calls at the times agreed.

Staff had been recruited safely in line with the provider’s safe recruitment processes to ensure their suitability before they started working at the service. New staff received an induction which included working alongside more experienced staff to learn about their role and people’s individual needs. One staff member told us, “They (provider) gives us training regularly, and we are encouraged to keep our knowledge and skills up to date."

Overall, the provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. However, we found some staff did not always adhere to the provider’s policy or good practice during care calls, as some staff were observed to have acrylic nails. The registered manager took action to address this shortfall during the inspection.

People and relatives confirmed staff wore personal protective equipment (PPE), and no concerns were raised with us about risks of infection. One person told us, “Carers wear aprons and gloves when appropriate like personal care. They all have very good hygiene.”

Staff spoken with demonstrated an understanding of how to reduce the risks of infection. One staff member said, “The company supply all the PPE; I just call and say what I need and they provide it for me.” Another staff member told us, “It’s important to ensure I wash my hands regularly during the call and wear PPE as needed to reduce the spread of any infections."

The provider did not always keep detailed and up to date records of staff training and medicines. Treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

Some aspects of medicine management required improvement. Oversight of time-critical medicines was not always effective, as we could not be assured this was always administered within the recommended time frame from the records viewed. Care plans did not consistently provide staff with the information needed to safely manage prescribed creams containing flammable ingredients. The registered manager took action to address these concerns.

Training records viewed did not provide assurance staff had completed the required medicines training and medicines audits had not identified these issues. The provider’s training records are reported on further within the quality statement; Safe and effective staffing.

Despite these shortfalls, people and their relatives told us they had no concerns about the management of medicines. One person told us, “My medication is kept in blister packs, and my carer will check I have taken it twice a day.” A relative said, “They make sure [Person] takes all her medication which is in dosette packs. They are also very good at making sure that she swallows the tablets as she has been known to just hold them in her mouth. They have even helped when the doctors have not been getting the dosette packs to us fast enough and the agency staff have chased this up for us.”

Staff told us their competency to administer medicines safely was assessed by senior staff and records viewed confirmed this.

Protocols for medicines prescribed ‘as and when required’ (PRN) included guidance in terms of medicine to be administered, reason for administration, and the maximum dose to be taken in 24 hours. However, this information was not consistently reflected in people’s care plans. The registered manager actioned this following our feedback.