Kind Healthcare Ltd

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 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. We found the management team were open and transparent and wanted to drive improvement at the service. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and lessons learned were completed which were shared with the staff team through team meetings and discussions. The registered manager was very present and personally attended people’s homes to carry out reviews. This ensured that people received the care they liked, and action and learning was taken where required.

Staff knew to prioritise making people safe. Managers reviewed all actions taken and reports were audited to identify any themes or recurring concerns.

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 told us of the positive support when using other services, or where Kind Healthcare had made referrals. One person told us, “They are very good at informing me, if there’s contact from the doctor or if they think the doctor needs to be called. They’ll let me know if the [community nurse] is late or doesn’t arrive to change [person’s] medication patch.”

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.

The provider supported people living with dementia, but mental capacity assessments had not been completed. However, there was a clear understanding of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), and staff demonstrated how they put these into practice effectively. One staff member told us, “I have received training. It means I can understand how to support people who may lack capacity, always acting in their best interests and involving them as much as I possibly can at that time.” We provided feedback to the provider regarding mental capacity assessments not being in place. They took immediate action and sent evidence of these having been completed.

People we spoke with described good relationships with staff and said there were no examples of concerns about staff attitudes, or behaviour. They said that the people being cared for were safe.

One person spoke of a safeguarding concern, that was not related to the service and explained how the team helped them to manage it. They said, “The carers will notice if [person’s] mood has changed and they’ll keep me informed, so I can address it.”

Staff were trained in safeguarding and were confident to report concerns when they arose. Staff were able to tell us what situations would amount to a safeguarding and the steps they would take.

There was a safeguarding policy in place, detailing types of abuse and who should take what action within the company.

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 we spoke with relayed a history of falls in those being looked after by the service and described how this was being managed and their involvement in discussions. One person told us, “There have been some falls, one occurred with the carer, but [person] has also fallen at 2-3 am. [They] have a wrist alarm but wouldn’t know how to use it. That’s one of the reasons for [the registered manager] requesting a dementia reassessment, to have a discussion about safety between visits and whether the risks are becoming higher for [person] to be looked after safely at home.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Part of the pre-assessment process involved an environmental risk assessment being completed of people’s homes. These assessments included practical information for example, locations of water and electricity supplies, and smoke alarms. This information was stored in care plans and checked by staff regularly. Any concerns were shared with the relevant persons.

Staff ensured that people were wearing lifelines where appropriate. These enable people to press a button to call for help if they are alone and in need.

The provider made sure there were always enough qualified, skilled, and experienced staff, who received thorough support, supervision, and strong development opportunities. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

People told us that they were supported by a small care team who knew them well. One relative told us, “They are regular staff, they come on time, and they stay the full time. In fact, [Carer] is really good and will often stay a bit longer if [person] is unsettled. [They] stay and sit with [person], to make sure [they] are settled before leaving. They have very good skills, they’re very patient and good at their job.”

Staff received detailed supervisions, with the opportunity to share their opinions, discuss work life balance, and review objectives set at previous supervisions. Staff were provided with a space to discuss people they supported, including care plans and risk assessments. Health and safety and lone working were featured, as well as learning and reflective development. Staff told us they felt able to speak to management about anything, whether this be work related or a personal matter and the provider had supported them in a caring and suitable manner.

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 told us that they are supplied with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This was further supported by people who spoke with who used the service.

People told us staff were clean and tidy, they wore uniform and PPE, including gloves, aprons and masks. Soiled items, such as incontinence pads, were disposed of in the outside bin and the home environment was said to have been cleaned to a high standard. One person told us, “They know what they have to do, they keep the house clean and [person] clean. The kitchen is always very clean – spotless and there’s no dust, even behind the telly. I do keep an eye and casually notice these things. I’m quite finicky. They wash and iron [person’s] clothes really well. They wear gloves, aprons, and masks as well. They dispose of pads in bags and then in the bin and they leave everything clean and tidy.”

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.

People were supported by staff who followed systems and processes to administer, record and store medicines safely. No one we spoke with had any concerns regarding medication.

One person told us, “They ensure that [person] takes [their] pills, and they watch [them] taking them, as in the past [they] weren’t doing that. [Person] has repeat prescriptions, which are delivered, so they deal with all of that, check the tablets when they arrive and put them away safely – they sort all of that out.”

Another person told us, “There haven’t been any errors, they’re really good. If something doesn’t seem right, they’ll tell me and inform the Doctor, or the nurse.”