hcs Supported Living

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 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 81 (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. There was a learning culture with systems and processes in place to record, analyse and review accidents and incidents. Lessons learned were identified and shared with members of staff through group supervisions and handover meetings to support continuous improvement of the service.

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. Continuity of care for people was maintained through ensuring staff support teams had access to all appropriate information about people’s needs. When people moved into the service, this was managed safely. The provider was aware of people’s needs prior to them moving in the service therefore care and support was in place and provided safely.

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. When we asked people if they felt safe in their homes, people told us they were safe. One person said, “Yup, I feel safe.” There were appropriate policies and processes in place to keep people safe. People’s support teams confirmed they how to keep people safe. A member of staff told us, "As support workers, we have regular contact with individuals and often develop a deep understanding of many aspects of their lives. This puts us in a strong position to recognise any potential signs of abuse. If there are any concerns, it is essential to follow the organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures to report them. Doing so is a vital part of our duty of care and support toward the individuals we assist."

The provider always worked well with people to fully understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care that fully met people’s needs and was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. Each person who lived in the service had a detailed suite of risk assessments and care plans. Each risk assessment was personalised to people’s specific needs and clearly identified the control measures in place to minimise risk along with links to behavioural support plans. People’s individual support plans were detailed and comprehensive including information about personal likes and dislikes along with support tips for members of people’s support teams which reflected people’s personal preferences. We observed care being delivered in line with people’s care plans which promoted their independence and gave them choice and control over their care and support. People were supported to take positive risks as part of developing their independently living skills. For example, 1 person handled their own cleaning supplies. They chose to use bleach to clean their kitchen and bathroom to ensure they were impeccably clean. They were able to demonstrate their understanding the environmental risks associated with bleach and they were able to explain this to a member of the management team. They said, “Bleach isn't great for the environment, but it really makes my sink and toilet shine." When the member of staff inquired about personal safety while using bleach, the person assured them, "I always wear gloves when I clean with it and dispose of them properly afterwards. I know that bleach is harmful if ingested, and it can cause burns if it touches my skin." The person managed risk positively and handled their own cleaning supplies confidently.

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 were supported to report areas for maintenance in their property to the landlord. This helped to ensure people’s houses were well maintained. Members of staff carried out health and safety checks, including fire safety audits, which ensured people’s house were safe for them to live in.

The provider made sure there were always enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received thorough support, supervision and strong development opportunities. All members of staff had received appropriate training which enabled them to provide good quality care and support to people with learning disabilities and autistic people. They worked together well as a team o provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. There was consistency in members of staff in people’s support team which supported the development of positive relationships and ensured consistency of routines and outcomes for people. Some members of staff had transferred from linked services within the provider’s transition pathway to provide stability and continuity of support for people. Members of staff were recruited safely and people were involved in the recruitment process which ensured interests and skills were matched. New employees were provided with a comprehensive induction and information handbook which contained information about the service, details about support available for staff along with learning exercises which supported the delivery of effective care and support.

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. People had their own tenancies and they were supported to keep their homes clean. Members of staff had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and wore when needed. They had accessed infection prevention and control training and were knowledgeable about how to manage the risk of infection.

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. People received their medicines safely by staff who were appropriately trained. Protocols for ‘as and when’ medication were detailed and regular audits of medicine administration processes were carried out by team leaders and the registered manager. People's medicines were reviewed in line withSTOMP (Stopping Over Medication of People with a learning disability, autism or both). STOMP isa national NHS England program focused on reducing the inappropriate prescribing of psychotropic medications to individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism.