Wise Support

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 since their registration in June 2022. 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.

There was an open and transparent culture at the service in which people and staff were encouraged and supported to raise and report safety concerns to the registered manager. Systems were in place to help people and staff do this. Safety concerns and events were investigated by the registered manager who used the learning from these to help staff continually improve their practice and keep people safe.

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 involved people, their relatives and the relevant healthcare professionals to obtain a detailed and comprehensive overview of people’s needs and risks to their safety. They used this information to develop individualised care and risk management plans which were shared with staff before they started providing any care and support to people. This helped to ensure people received safe and appropriate care and support as soon as they started using the service.

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 had no concerns about the staff providing their care and support. One person told us, “I feel very safe here. The staff check in on me. The staff treat me good.” Staff were clear about their responsibilities for safeguarding people and knew how and when to report safeguarding concerns to the relevant person or agency. The registered manager told us there had been no safeguarding concerns raised by, and about, people in the last 12 months. However, they understood their responsibility to make timely referrals when needed and to work proactively with the relevant agencies to ensure people were safeguarded from further risk.

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 undertook activities, outings and events of their choice and staff made sure they stayed safe when doing so. One person told us they enjoyed visiting their friends and family in the community and staff made sure they could do this when they wished. They said, “The staff will come with me as I don’t feel safe going by myself.” A relative said, “It’s all driven by [family member] and what works for them. They make sure whatever [family member] does is safe for them.” Staff understood risks posed to people and were provided with current information and guidance on how these should be managed to keep people safe from injury or harm. This information was reviewed at regular intervals by the registered manager to ensure risk management plans were continuing to support people to stay safe.

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 registered manager assessed risks posed by people’s living environment and put measures in place to reduce these, to keep people safe. They reviewed these measures at regular intervals to make sure these continued to support people to stay safe in their home. Staff undertook regular checks of people’s living environment for any health and safety concerns. Issues identified through these checks were reported promptly to the housing provider for action.

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.

People received care and support from a regular and consistent team of staff. Staff worked well together to provide the care and support people needed. A staff member told us, “We have enough staff and I get enough time to do what I need to do. The staff are really good and very supportive.” Staff undertook regular and relevant training to help them meet the range of people’s needs. The registered manager supported staff to continuously learn and improve in their roles through regular spot checks, supervision and appraisal of their work performance.

There were safe recruitment practices at the service. The registered manager carried out the necessary checks required on staff that applied to work at the service, to make sure they were suitable to support 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.

Staff were provided with relevant training and support to help them reduce infection risks in people’s living environment. They had access to supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help them minimise infection risks to people. The registered manager used spot check to make sure staff’s practice was in line with standards and national guidance for minimising infection risks when supporting people.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences.

People consistently received the medicines prescribed to them. Staff were provided with relevant training and support to help them manage and administer medicines safely. The registered manager undertook regular spot checks on staff and audits of medicines to make sure these were managed and administered safely.