Helping Hands Ellesmere Port

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 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 felt able to raise concerns and were confident these would be listened to and acted upon. Safety events were investigated appropriately, and staff understood their role in reporting incidents. Learning from incidents was routinely identified and used to strengthen practice and reduce future risks.

The provider demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities for managing accidents and incidents. Robust systems were in place, including a comprehensive accident and incident reporting policy and procedure. Staff were confident in reporting and recognised the importance of accurate and timely documentation. This supported effective oversight and helped ensure action was taken to prevent recurrence.

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.

Information was gathered from people, their relatives, and others involved in their care to develop a clear understanding of individual needs and any associated risks. This informed the creation of personalised care plans and risk assessments, ensuring people received safe and appropriate support from the point they started using the service. The registered manager described working closely with relatives and relevant health and social care professionals. This collaborative approach supported effective risk management and helped ensure care remained responsive as people’s needs changed.

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 understood their safeguarding responsibilities and followed established processes to raise concerns, helping to protect people from the risk of abuse. They told us they had completed safeguarding training and felt confident escalating issues to their manager. One staff member described how they monitored people’s body language, facial expressions, and any marks or bruises to identify potential concerns. This vigilance supported early recognition of safeguarding issues and contributed to keeping people safe.

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.

Care plans and risk assessments provided staff with clear and practical guidance on how to support people safely with eating, personal care, medication, and mobility. Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of the risks individuals faced and how to manage these effectively. They were knowledgeable about people’s conditions and understood each person’s care needs and preferences. Staff told us they were fully aware of the importance of following individual risk assessments, and they used this information to ensure people received safe, consistent, and person‑centred support.

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 provider carried out environmental assessments as part of the pre‑assessment process to identify and manage any potential risks in people’s homes before care began.

Environmental risks were clearly recorded within people’s care plans, and assessments were kept up to date. This ensured risks were identified, monitored, and managed appropriately, supporting the safe delivery of care in people’s own environments.

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

A robust recruitment and vetting process was in place. All staff had completed the required Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Employment references had also been obtained, supporting safe recruitment practices and ensuring that only suitable individuals were appointed. All new staff received a comprehensive induction when they started employment.

Staff received regular supervision and an annual appraisal, which supported reflection on practice, development needs, and wellbeing. Their practice was observed routinely to ensure safe and consistent standards of care. Staff meetings were held regularly, and the manager and office team operated an open‑door policy, enabling staff to raise concerns and seek support when needed.

A training matrix was used to monitor staff training and compliance, ensuring staff maintained the skills and knowledge required to deliver safe care.

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 followed safe infection prevention and control practices and used personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately to help prevent the spread of infection. They had completed relevant infection prevention and control training and demonstrated a good understanding of the procedures required to keep people safe.

The provider had a current IPC policy that was readily accessible to all staff and outlined clear, effective infection prevention and control procedures.

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 could be assured they would be supported to take their prescribed medicines safely. Staff had completed medication administration training, and their competence was regularly assessed. People were supported to manage their medicines safely.

Staff had access to clear, up‑to‑date information about each person’s prescribed medicines and the specific support they required with administration. Detailed PRN protocols were in place, ensuring staff understood when and how to administer medicines prescribed on an as‑required basis, such as for pain relief. A comprehensive medication policy was available to staff, providing clear guidance on safe medicines management and best practice.

Effective oversight systems were in place and alerted office staff to any delays or missed doses, enabling prompt follow‑up and reducing the risk of medication errors.