Emmaus House

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 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. Managers identified lessons that could be learned to improve the service and ensured appropriate action was taken to reduce future risks. A staff member said, “We do sometimes make errors, we spot them and we learn from them.”

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 registered manager and staff worked closely with health and social care professionals to ensure people received the care and support they needed in 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. Staff had received safeguarding training, understood their safeguarding responsibilities and were confident any concerns they raised would be dealt with appropriately.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications had been made where required. People told us they felt safe with the staff and when living at the home. They told us, “I feel very safe here. There is always someone around, if you need help. They can’t do enough for you” and “I really like it and I feel safe with the staff.”

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. Risk assessments were person-centred and supported people in ways that kept them safe, whilst respecting their independence and choices.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Regular health and safety checks, along with maintenance of the building and equipment, were undertaken.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. All required checks were made prior to staff starting to work at the home. Staff received effective training, support and supervision. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people’s needs in an unrushed but timely way.

Risks associated with infection prevention and control were assessed and managed effectively. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. People told us the home was always kept clean, and staff wore personal protective equipment appropriately.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Medicines were managed and administered safely. Our visit to the service was conducted during an extended period of very hot weather. We saw that managers had taken prompt action to ensure medicines remained stored within safe limits.