Home Instead Bradford

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 service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. The registered manager told us no incident or accidents had occurred within the service; however, they told us what actions they would take following any concerns raised. They said, “Incidents and accidents would be recorded straight away and reported to Safeguarding, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and investigated. We would look at how we can protect people. Look at medical attention people might need and look at any risks following the incidents and update the care plan. Every 3 months we would go through the incidents and accidents and see what we can learn from it. We have started a monthly newsletter and would use this to inform staff of any incidents and learning from this.”

The service 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 service used an admission process to ensure people’s needs could be met. The registered manager said, “It starts with a phone enquiry, we have a conversation with them and ask what support we can give. I would go out to explain about the service, complete a full risk assessment and then complete the full care plan. We would always take the staff and introduce them to the person. We do a courtesy call after the first few visits to check how the care is and if anything needs changing. Then following this do a quarterly and then annual review. We always do this with the person and their family.”

The service 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 service had not had any safeguarding incidents however, there was a policy in place, with staff completing training and support visits carried out to ensure any areas of concern haven’t been missed. People told us they felt safe, and staff were knowledgeable about the types of abuse to report and the process in which to. A staff member said, “We would watch out for changes in behaviour with them or family. Watch what language is used or if they have become more withdrawn or emotional changes. We keep an eye on people’s finances. Any unexplained bruises or scratches we would report.”

The service collaborated with people to identify and manage risks using a holistic approach. Staff delivered care that was safe, supportive, and enabled individuals to continue activities that were important to them. We reviewed risk assessments covering areas such as falls, moving and handling, skin care, and nutrition. Clear guidelines were in place to assist staff in managing these risks effectively. While some risk assessments were outdated, the registered manager confirmed that updating them was already part of their action plan.

People were supported to reduce potential risks safely. The registered manager told us how the service supported one person to reduce their alcohol intake from 2 litres of cider daily to 2 litres over 3 to 4 days. A staff member said, “We have 1 person who has had falls. We encourage them to practice standing by the bed first with their zimmer [frame] to encourage them to build up strength rather than walking around which was why they were falling before.”

The service detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The service ensured people had environmental assessments which detailed hazards in people’s homes and what risks could be encountered if people were supported in the community.

The service 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 and their relatives reported staff consistently met their needs and provided care with continuity, often from the same staff. Comments included, “More or less I have the same staff members. [Name and Name], are both extremely kind and thoughtful. They are my regular staff” and “We tend to have the same staff, and [Name] adores them.” The registered manager told us they maintained consistency by limiting each person to 2 carers and matching staff based on personality and interests. For example, someone who loved playing the piano was paired with a staff member who also played piano.

The registered manager said all calls were monitored using a live system to ensure visits were not missed and people informed if staff were going to be late. The registered manager said, “If staff are more than 30 seconds late it goes red, and we can see this. Me and the assistant manager take it in turns to do on calls, so someone is available.” On-call staff were available to cover sickness, and a contingency plan was in place to respond to any changes in staffing levels. This approach minimised the risk of missed visits and ensured continuity of care from familiar staff.

Staff were recruited safely, with all pre-employment checks completed before they started work. New staff received a thorough induction, including shadowing experienced colleagues, which helped them understand the service’s values and expectations. Staff told us they felt well-prepared and supported from the outset. A staff member told us how they had fed back about needing more time in between visits and this was listened to and addressed immediately.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. The registered manager said, “Our staff come into the office to get personal protective equipment (PPE). We do regular support visits of staff to check this. Any cleaning or domestic needs are noted on the care plan. On the visits we check staff are following PPE processes. If there is an issue we would bring the staff member into the office for further training. We provide, hand gel, facemasks, gloves, aprons and shoes covers.”

The service 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.

No discrepancies were identified in the medicine administration charts, and all prescribed medications had been administered as required. Updates to medication were clearly documented, and care plans included detailed information on responsibilities for ordering, disposing of, and maintaining medicine stock. Regular medicine checks and audits were completed to identify any errors and take appropriate action.

Staff received training and their competency was assessed before they were authorised to administer medicines. Staff told us the training they had received meant they were confident in managing medicines safely. A member of staff said, “Yes, I have had training and competency assessments. I have done e learning as well which we have to do before we go out. We have a practical competency before giving out any medications.”