Avalon Northallerton Services

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 78 (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 provider was committed to continuous improvement of the service. The provider was forward-thinking, and they anticipated potential issues and had plans in place to mitigate these risks.

There was a robust system in place to monitor and review accidents and incidents to ensure learning always took place. Learning was shared across the whole organisation.

Staff were encouraged to be involved in the continuous improvement and development of the service. Staff were involved in regular discussions about the visions and values of the service and were encouraged to speak up without blame. One staff member told us, “Staff meetings are regular and important, we are informed of any changes or improvements that are needed anywhere,so concerns are dealt with and talked about.”

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.

People were well supported to access other services including healthcare organisations. People were supported to be safe at all times. For example, people had access to the use of lifeline call systems which enabled people to access emergency support whenever needed.

Staff supported people to attend medical appointments and changed shifts so they could attend and help to advocate for people where needed.

The provider had worked towards supporting people to transition to different services which supported greater independence, and this had a really positive impact on people’s lives. For example, one person was supported to rebuild their life skills, gain confidence, and reconnect with their family. Staff went above and beyond to support this person to achieve their aims and goals, which ultimately led to them transitioning to a different service which supported greater independence and led this person to lead a rich and fulfilling life.

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 had a good understanding of safeguarding and knew how to recognise any concerns and respond to these appropriately. One staff member told us, “I would make the person feel as safe as possible and report to management. I would inform emergency services if needed. I would document and give reassurance and raise a safeguarding alert.”

Relatives told us people were safe. Feedback included, “I have no complaints, staff really look after [person], staff bend over backwards.”

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.

Risks to people were appropriately assessed and support plans implemented. Staff knew people’s needs well and understood how to support people safely and how to manage and balance risk.

Staff continuously assessed possible risks to people. One relative told us, “[Staff] know [person] really well, they are always assessing [person’s] needs, for example they identified a recent possible medical issue and raised it immediately with family for additional action to be taken.”

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

Staff knew what to do if there was an emergency in the environment and they knew where all relevant information was kept. Staff spoke competently about the procedures to follow if there were any environmental incidents, there were clear processes to follow, and there was an on-call system for staff to use if they needed extra support.

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.

Staff were recruited safely with appropriate pre-employment checks in place. Staff generally told us there were enough staff, they had sufficient time to get to their care calls, and they did not feel rushed.

Staff spoke positively about the training they had received and spoke competently about their roles and responsibilities. One staff member told us, “Through training, I have learned so much which all benefits my customers and me. I have also learned some Makaton to support good communication with 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.

The provider had a suitable infection prevention and control policy in place. Staff told us they always had access to PPE when required and staff had received appropriate training in its use.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff were trained in the safe administration of medicines and had their competencies checked. There was an appropriate medicines policy in place. Where appropriate, people were supported to safely self-administer and manage their own medicines. Systems were in place to monitor self-administration to ensure this remained appropriate to meet people’s needs.