Chilton Care Centre

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 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 learned to continually identify and embed good practice.

The registered manager analysed accidents, incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns to monitor trends and identify areas where improvements were needed. These findings were used to improve the service. Any ‘significant events’ that occurred within any of the providers registered care homes were shared with all homes to ensure wider lessons were learned, prevent reoccurrences and reduce risks to people. The registered manager told us, “We take lessons learnt very seriously at St Philips Care. Everything is shared and staff are debriefed.” This was evident in staff meeting minutes.

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 engaged with other professionals to ensure they had access to the most up to date information about a person’s needs before they moved to the service. This helped ensure a smooth transition when people moved into the home. Referrals to professionals, such as when people were losing weight, where completed in a timely way and advice provided was acted upon. A professional told us, “Nothing is too much trouble when I ask anything of the staff. They always work with me, and I have an excellent relationship with all of the staff.”

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. Staff had completed safeguarding training and were confident in recognising and reporting concerns. However, the provider did not always share concerns quickly and appropriately.

We identified an allegation of abuse where action had been taken to ensure the immediate safety of the person, but an appropriate referral had not been made to the local authority. The registered manager took immediate action to address this.

Staff had received safeguarding training and had good knowledge with regards to different types of abuse.

People told us they felt safe living in the home. They spoke positively about staff and how they helped them feel reassured and protected. Comments included, “I feel safe and I am looked after properly” and “I am settled and safe. The girls (staff) are lovely.”

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.

Individual and environmental risks had been identified and recorded. Records detailed how best to mitigate the risk, to keep people safe. Risk assessments were regularly reviewed to ensure the information remained accurate and up to date.

Staff sought additional support and guidance from external healthcare professionals to help reduce the risks identified and promote people’s wellbeing. One person told us, “They get the doctor and things quickly when I need them.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

People lived in a safe environment, which was well maintained. Equipment servicing and safety checks were completed as required. People had personalised emergency plans in place which detailed the level of support they would require in the event of an emergency.

The provider did not always make sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff. They did not always make sure staff received effective support, supervision and development. They did not always work together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

Staff were mostly recruited in a safe way. However, where risk assessments were required in relation to staff working with vulnerable adults, these had not always been completed and there were some gaps in employment history that hadn’t been fully explored.The registered manager took action to address this.

Staff had received appropriate training and checks to ensure they were competent in the role. Staff told us they felt supported and had regular supervisions from the management team. Where concerns had been identified around a staff members performance, action had been taken but records were not always sufficiently robust. The registered manager took action to address this.

Safe staffing levels were in place and the registered manager regularly monitored this to ensure it remained sufficient. We observed staff responding to call bells and requests for assistance in a timely way. One relative told us, “Yes there is enough staff. You see them about all the time. There is always someone around.”

The provider did not always assess or manage the risk of infection. They did not always detect and control the risk of it spreading or share concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. We found some Personal Protective Equipment stored closely to dirty laundry which posed an infection control risk. We discussed this with the registered manager. We were provided with an update following our inspection to state refurbishment work would be undertaken to address this.

The home was clean and tidy throughout. Staff followed safe infection prevention practices and used personal protective equipment to help prevent the spread of infections. A relative told us, “It always appears clean and tidy with domestic staff around. The laundry is spot on.”

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.

Medicines were managed,storedand administered safely.Systems and processes were in place to ensurepeople received their medicinesas prescribedbysuitably trained staff.Staff had their competencies in medicine administration assessed, and auditsthat werein place were effective atidentifyingany shortfalls.One person told us, “I get my tablets at the same time every day.”