Angel Support (Newham) 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 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.

Care workers recorded accidents and incidents and reviewed these to identify ways to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. The provider completed action plans and involved relevant professionals to consider lessons learned.

The registered manager said, “Staff would report and record accidents, I will analyse them and report them to the relevant authorities if necessary. We will discuss accidents and incidents during team meetings and supervisions and make improvements and take actions to achieve positive outcomes for service users.”

The accidents and incidents policy clearly outlined the procedures for managing and responding to accidents and incidents.

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.

Systems to capture information as part of the pre-assessment process determined if the service could support people safely. This included speaking with the referring agency, the person and their relatives. Information gathered during the pre-assessment formed part of people’s risk assessments and support plans which can be shared with other agencies to ensure safe transition between services. The registered manager said, “I will assess people before we take them on this ensures we are able to meet their needs and forms a base line for their care plans.”

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.

The registered manager worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that.

People and relatives told us they were safe when supported by care workers and were confident that any concerns raised would be addressed. We asked a person if the felt safe with care workers, the person said, “Yes, I know them well they have been around for years.”

Care workers had received safeguarding training, understood the signs of possible abuse, and knew the actions to take if they had concerns. A care worker said, “I have received training and would report everything to [Manager Name] and I am sure he will deal with it and do the right thing.”

Care workers had access to the service’s up-to-date safeguarding and whistleblowing policies.

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.

During this assessment, we found risk assessments ensured that they included details of relevant risks, triggers and control measures to help protect people. Risk assessments were comprehensive, and person centred. A care worker said, “We will review risk assessments every three month, or sooner if anything has changed.”

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) were in place for each person. These provided details about people's mobility and medical conditions that could impact on their ability to leave the premises in the event of an emergency and guidance on how care workers should support them.

Care workers undertook a range of training to understand how to care for people safely.

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

Risk assessments had been completed on people’s home environment. Information included details on risks or hazards within the environment to ensure care and support could be provided to people in a safe way and risks to care workers and people were minimised such as on fire safety and living arrangements.

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.

Care workers had completed key training such as safeguarding, food safety and basic life support. Specialist training was also completed, including key topic areas such as mental health, learning disabilities, diabetes and epilepsy training. A relative commented, “The carers know what they are doing and are definitely well trained.”

Records showed that new care workers underwent a structured induction upon starting with the service. Evidence of completed induction forms were available, demonstrating a consistent approach. The induction covered several vital areas, including initial training, familiarisation with the service’s policies and procedures, shadowing experienced staff and opportunities for care workers to get to know people they would be supporting. This helped new care workers to integrate smoothly into the service and ensured they were adequately prepared for their roles. A care worker told us, “The induction was very thorough and lasted over three months before I was confirmed in my permanent post.”

Regular supervisions had been carried out to ensure care workers were supported. Care workers confirmed they received regular supervisions and support from the registered manager. A care worker told us, “It is very easy to talk to [Name], he will listen and will get out of his way to meet our and service user’s needs.”

People and relatives told us that care workers were on time and stayed the required time with people. A person said, “Staff are always available and stay the allocated time.” A relative told us, “The staff have enough time to look after my relative, they provide one to one or enable my relative to be on their own if they choose.”

Records showed relevant pre-employment checks, such as criminal records checks, right to work in the UK, references and proof of the staff’s identity had been carried out. This helped ensure people using the service were not cared for by anyone barred from working with vulnerable people.

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.

Care workers were able to tell us the process of ensuring people were protected from infection such as good hand hygiene protocols and wearing personal protective equipment and that they had been trained in infection control. Competency assessments and spot checks were completed to ensure care workers adhered to good infection control processes.

People and relatives told us that staff followed good infection control processes. A relative commented, “Whenever they support my relative, they wear gloves and wash their hands.”

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 safely. Medicines Administration Records (MARs) showed that medicines had been administered as prescribed. For medicine to be administered as needed, protocols were in place to ensure the medicine was administered safely.

Medicines audits were carried out to ensure people received their medicines safely. Medicine support plans included the support people required with medicines.

Care workers had been trained in medicines management. Care workers told us they were confident in managing medicines. The registered manager was able to demonstrate the process of ensuring medicines were managed safely such as training being delivered to care workers and competency assessments being carried out to check staff knowledge on safe medicine management.