Quality Homecare (Barnsley) 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. At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

The service was previously in breach of legal regulation in relation to good governance.At this inspection we found enough improvement had been made and the service was no longer in breach of this regulation.

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. Staff understood how to raise concerns and made detailed records of incidents where required. Processes were in place to update staff about changes in people’s care and support needs.

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. Feedback from professionals who worked with the service was positive. A professional told us, “The staff are responsive, they share information where needed and let us know when there are issues."

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. Records showed that the provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately, including relevant details to allow safeguarding professionals to investigate concerns. Staff understood how to identify and report safeguarding concerns.

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 were in control of their care and support, and the provider followed their wishes. A person told us, “Right from the beginning I have been asked how I want to be cared for, I practically wrote my own plan.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, working environment and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The provider undertook a comprehensive assessment of people’s home environments and equipment prior to support commencing to ensure care could be delivered safely.

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. The provider ensured new staff received an induction which included working alongside experienced staff members and observations of practice. Staff undertook training for their role and told us they felt the training provided had given them confidence.

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 received training in infection control and had access to personal protective equipment to enable them to complete their roles safely.

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. Staff received training in the safe administration of medicines. Records showed that the provider undertook regular observations of medicines administration to ensure staff remained competent in this area. Managers had access to people’s electronic medication administration records and completed regular audits.