Flair 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 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. The registered manager took a proactive approach to collecting feedback from people, relatives and staff to continually improve the service. No incidents, accidents or complaints had occurred, however processes were in place to learn from these should they happen in the future.

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 provider worked closely with health and social care professionals when required and records of information and advice from professionals were kept. If people needed to move between services, for example from hospital to community care, the provider was quick to respond. One relative told us, “My relatives care package was restarted within 2 hours, we were really pleased with this. [Registered manager] arranged this.”

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. Systems and processes were in place to manage safeguarding concerns should these arise. Staff received training in how to identify and respond to safeguarding concerns. People’s relatives told us they felt safe with the service provided.

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 contained important information about people’s preferences for care and support. People’s relatives confirmed they were involved in their initial care planning and any ongoing updates or changes to care. A relative told us, “If I need anything changing, they are quick to respond. They are really accommodating.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. A comprehensive environmental assessment of the home environment was undertaken at the commencement of care to identify and address any potential risks to the person and care staff. If equipment was in place to support with care delivery, the service had processes in place to monitor the safety of this and check routine maintenance and servicing was completed.

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. Recruitment was completed safely with all pre-employment checks undertaken in line with current guidelines. This included criminal records checks and references. Staff received regular training and ongoing supervision of their practice. The registered manager undertook regular spot checks of care to ensure this was completed safely and to a high standard. Staff received feedback on their practice to support them to continually improve. We received positive feedback about staff. Relatives told us, “They have the patience of saints.” and “I have every confidence in them.”

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 if required. Staff received training in infection prevention and control and had access to adequate stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE). The provider carried out spot checks of care which included staff use of PPE. Relatives confirmed staff left people’s homes clean and tidy after visits.

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. Where people were supported to manage their medicines, clear records were kept in line with current guidelines. Staff received training in how to safely administer medicines and regular observations of medicines administration took place to ensure staff practice and support was correct in this area. Regular auditing of medicines administration records took place to identify any errors, omissions or concerns.