Guardian Angel Carers York Also known as Barnabas Care Limited

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 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.

There was a positive learning culture that helped embed good practice. Staff were supported and encouraged to identify lessons that could be learned. Staff told us they received good support following any incidents, and managers gave them the opportunity to talk about anything in a supportive way.

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. When people moved between services, staff helped support people with the transition and any changes in support need.

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 received training in safeguarding people from abuse and understood their responsibilities. They knew how to raise any concerns and told us any concerns were dealt with very promptly. People told us they felt safe using the service, and with the staff who provided care and support. Relatives said, “[Person] feels safe in their presence and enjoys the carer’s company” and “All the care workers are courteous and all work safely.”

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 were well managed and care plans and risk assessments were person centred. They provided staff with a holistic view of people, their support needs, preferences, likes, dislikes and what was important to and for them. People were involved in all decisions about their care and support.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. People’s home environments were assessed for potential risks when they started using the service and this was regularly reviewed. Staff were provided with guidance on the safe use of equipment required for the delivery of personal care.

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.

All required checks were completed prior to staff starting to work at the service and staff received the training and support they needed to undertake their roles effectively. Staff told us the induction, training and support were good. They said, “You go out with a more experienced staff member who will take you on visits and observe, see how things are done. You are then shadowed by managers to ensure you are okay, they may say you may need more training and the process repeats” and “Training is definitely enough and appropriate, management support us 100%.”

People were positive about the way the service was run and organised. Relatives said, “We are satisfied with the service. They arrive [visit], very punctually. No rush, and they stay the agreed amount of time.”

Staff told us the visits to people’s homes were planned and organised well, and they had the time needed to get to know people well. Staff said, “There is always time to speak to people” and “Definitely ….we get everything completed and there is always time to speak to [people]. More than enough time to do shifts and travel.”

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. Staff had received training in infection prevention and control. They had access to personal protective equipment (PPE).

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff had completed medicines training and had their competency regularly assessed. Managers had robust system in place to monitor medicines administration and records.