Basingstoke

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 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. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

People told us staff responded promptly to incidents and accidents. Staff recognised when people were unwell or needed additional support and acted quickly, including contacting emergency services when required. Staff stayed with people until additional support arrived.

The provider had effective systems to learn from incidents. Staff had a good understanding of procedures to follow in response to accidents or incidents. Senior staff followed up incidents with people and relevant stakeholders and updated care plans where needed. The registered manager reviewed incidents to identify any trends and wider learning. For example, analysis showed most falls occurred outside scheduled care visits, which helped identify when people may need additional support or changes to care packages. This helped to keep people safe by reducing the risk of recurrence.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. People told us there was continuity of care, including when they moved between different services.

The registered manager told us they restarted care packages following hospital discharge only at agreed times, with sufficient notice, and after receiving information relevant to people’s needs. The registered manager used GP Connect, which allows authorised health and social care staff to access GP records with consent. To review up-to-date health information as people moved between services. For example, they checked current medicines following hospital discharge before care packages recommenced. This helped to ensure the provider’s records and care plan accurately reflected people’s most current needs. The provider’s systems and processes helped to reduce risks related to failed discharges.

People had emergency grab sheets within their care plans. These provided a clear summary of people’s needs and supported healthcare professionals to respond appropriately if people were admitted to hospital or accessed other healthcare services. This helped to ensure information between different stakeholders could be easily shared and people’s needs were understood.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately with professionals.

People told us they felt safe and trusted staff to provide care in their homes.

The provider had safeguarding policies in line with statutory guidance. The registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities to recognise and report concerns. The service kept electronic records to evidence how safeguarding concerns were escalated and managed. We received positive feedback from the local authority, who told us the provider worked effectively in partnership with them to help keep people safe.

The provider had systems to promote people’s safety and security, for example, policies on handling money and maintaining professional boundaries. The registered manager reinforced procedures through supervision and meetings to ensure staff understood their responsibilities in their role, which helped kept people safe.

The provider assessed and reduced individual risks to people’s safety. For example, 1 person had a detailed self-harm risk assessment, which included information about their mental health needs, known triggers and clear guidance for staff on actions to take to reduce risk and respond to escalation. This supported staff to provide consistent care, safeguarding the person around the risks of self-harm.

Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. People told us they felt safe receiving care from staff. They said that were competent in providing support in line with their needs, which helped promote safety and good quality care.

The provider assessed risks in line with people’s capacity, choices and ability to manage them. Where required, people were supported to access external services to reduce risks. For example, the provider referred 1 person to occupational therapy, and records showed staff implemented the recommendations to ensure safe moving and handling. Care plans identified risks related to people’s health conditions and care needs. Staff understood people’s needs and escalated concerns when risks increased. The registered manager kept clear records to evidence actions taken to keep people safe.

The provider had business continuity plans to manage emergencies, such as severe weather. Care priorities were recorded in care plans and accessible through the electronic system. An out‑of‑hours on call service ensured senior staff were always available, with remote system access to oversee care. This helped to ensure the service would run safely in the event of an emergency.

The provider had a non‑entry policy. This helped determine people’s whereabouts and welfare if they were not contactable at planned care calls times. The registered manager had reviewed past incidents and strengthened processes. The provider assessed risk on an individual basis, considering people’s personal circumstances to ensure proportionate actions were agreed. This information was documented in people’s care plans and staff understood non-entry procedures. The registered manager kept accurate records to monitor people’s engagement with care and actions taken when care did not taken place as planned. This helped to promote people’s safety.

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

The provider assessed people’s home environments to identify and manage risks, including fire safety. Senior staff completed fire risk assessments that considered environmental hazards and documented how staff could reduce them. For example, where people used emollient creams, their care plans outlined the steps staff needed to take to reduce the risk of fire associated with these products. Senior staff discussed fire safety arrangements with people and developed agreed evacuation plans. This helped to promote safety for both people and staff in the event of an emergency situation. Where risks could not be fully mitigated, the provider advised people to seek a home safety assessment from the local fire and rescue service. This helped to reduce risks related to people home environment.

The registered manager maintained clear records of care equipment, servicing responsibilities and inspection dates. Care plans included guidance for staff on safe equipment use. Staff demonstrated good knowledge of equipment, such as hoists and mobility aids, which helped promote safe practice. People told us staff were competent in the use of care related equipment, which gave them confidence care from staff was safe.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development.

People told us staff were competent and well trained in their roles. Although some people reported inconsistency in call times and staffing; they said they had not experienced missed or late visits which had significantly impacted them.

Staff told us they felt well trained and supported. The provider delivered role specific training in line with health and social care requirements. Newly recruited staff completed a structured probationary period, during which senior staff reviewed performance and conduct to ensure standards were met.

Staff received ongoing support through training updates, supervision, spot checks and competency assessments. The registered manager acted on feedback and performance concerns. For example, when staff did not follow procedures, additional support and monitoring was put in place to improve practice.

The provider followed safe recruitment processes to help ensure staff were suitable to work with people.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading.

People told us staff followed good infection prevention and control practices. They said staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves and aprons, when providing personal care. This helped promote good hygiene practices.

The provider had effective infection prevention and control policies aligned with best practice guidance. Staff received relevant training and demonstrated a good understanding of hygiene practices and how to reduce the risk of infections spreading.

The provider made sure that medicines were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences.

People told us they received reliable support to take their medicines as prescribed. They said staff understood their medicines needs.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of safe medicines management in community settings. For example, they checked medicines against care records before administration to reduce the risk of errors. Senior staff regularly assessed staff competence in medicines administration and provided additional support and monitoring following any concerns.

Care plans included clear guidance on medicines administration, including ‘as required’ medicines and topical creams. Risks associated with specific medicines were assessed and reduced. For example, care plans included guidance for staff on the use of anti‑coagulants to reduce risks of bleeding related to these types of medicines.

The provider involved people in planning their medicines support to promote independence and safety. For example, the provider had clear policies on the ordering, delivery and disposal of medicines. Individual responsibilities were documented in care plans, which helped ensure appropriate action if concerns arose about medicines supply or management.