RCS Domiciliary Agency 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 inspection of this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 72 (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. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. When accidents and incidents occurred, staff took appropriate action including seeking medical attention. The registered manager had a process in place to review incidents which occurred to identify any trends, patterns and lessons learned. These were shared with staff to reduce risks to people.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. Information was collected about people’s needs before they started to use the service, to ensure their needs could be met. Information such as a hospital ‘passport’ containing standardised information about people’s care and support needs was available for all people to ensure they received a continuity of care when either visiting another service or when they were discharged from the service.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. A relative commented, “[Name] feels safe with their carer.” Staff and leaders had received training in safeguarding adults and children and understood their responsibilities in reporting safeguarding concerns to the appropriate agencies. A staff member commented, “I can raise any concerns with the manager.”

The registered manager had completed risk assessments for people and had put some measures in place to mitigate those risks. However, not all risks had been identified such as for risk of choking, moving and assisting and pressure area care. Other identified risk was documented in a care plan with detail for staff to mitigate the risks. However, care plans required more detail of the measures staff were to follow to keep people safe, including how to respond when people became distressed or declined care. This included guidance for staff about triggers and signs, how to de-escalate and reassure a person if they became upset. We discussed this with the registered manager who told us it would be addressed. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. When accidents and incidents occurred, staff took appropriate action including seeking medical attention. The registered manager had a process in place to review incidents which occurred to identify any trends, patterns and lessons learned. These were shared with staff to reduce risks to people.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. A staff member told us, “There is plenty of training.” Staff worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. People and relative’s comments included, “I know the carers coming to my calls”, “I have never had a missed call”, “The carers are very well trained and experienced” and “The [staff] do all the tasks and anything extra I may ask them.” Staff were safely recruited.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. When accidents and incidents occurred, staff took appropriate action including seeking medical attention. The registered manager had a process in place to review incidents which occurred to identify any trends, patterns and lessons learned. These were shared with staff to reduce risks to people.

Medicines were managed safely. Medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Medicines records were in place. There were policies and processes in place to ensure people received their medicines safely. Staff received training and competency checks to observe how they managed people’s medicines safely. A relative commented, “Staff help [Name] with their medication and check to make sure they have taken it.”