MCS Healthcare

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 of the service since their registration in October 2023. 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. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

People and staff were supported to raise and report safety concerns. The provider had effective systems in place to support prompt reporting and investigation of these concerns. Managers identified themes and trends from investigations and any action required to help staff learn and improve their working practices. This helped to ensure the ongoing safety of people using 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.

The provider had arrangements in place to obtain comprehensive information about people, their individual needs and risks to their safety, prior to them using the service. A healthcare professional told us, “[Staff] have been extremely forthcoming in gaining understanding and history for our patient. This openness, honesty and want for transparency has been invaluable. As a result, patient care has been optimal.” Information obtained through these arrangements was used to develop detailed care and risk management plans for people which were shared with staff before they commenced a package of care. Managers made sure staff allocated to the package of care had the appropriate skills and experience to provide the planned care and support. This was because people had a wide range of complex nursing and social care needs. A relative said, “Everyone that has worked with us is trained up. [Staff member] has come out and met with us and then makes sure anyone that works with us has the specific training.”

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.

Relatives had no concerns about the staff supporting people. A relative told us, “I feel [family member] is safe with staff and have no issues about this.” Staff understood their duty and responsibility to safeguard people and were supported to report safeguarding concerns to the relevant people and agencies. A staff member told us, “I have had training in safeguarding. I would let the manager know if there are any concerns.” Managers made timely referrals when required and worked proactively with the relevant agencies to ensure people were safeguarded from further risk.

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.

Staff understood safety risks to people and how these should be managed to keep them safe. They supported people to stay safe when taking part in activities and events of their choice, at home and in the community. Staff received relevant training to help them manage identified risks and were confident using equipment, when required, to support people safely. A staff member told us, “Before I went there, I was given the care plan and I went through it…I have to use equipment and we have been talked through how to use it.” Managers monitored and reviewed safety risks to people at regular intervals. People’s records contained current information and guidance for staff on how identified risks should be managed to keep people safe from injury or harm.

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

The provider assessed risks posed by people’s living environment and used this information to put measures in place, to manage these risks and keep people safe. Managers monitored and reviewed these risks at regular intervals to make sure the measures in place remained appropriate.

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.

People were supported by a regular team of qualified and skilled staff who were able to meet their needs. A relative told us, “They do keep the continuity…We tend to have the same staff team supporting [family member].” Staff received regular and relevant training and were supported to continuously learn and improve in their roles through regular spot checks, supervision and appraisal of their work performance. A staff member said, “The training and support is really great. I have been on training for the last 2 weeks and this will really help me support the person I am assigned to. I have also done all the online training too. It really is fantastic. It’s quite scary when you think about it, what we have to do, so the support is very important.” There were safe recruitment practices at the service. The provider carried out the necessary checks required on staff that applied to work at the service to make sure they were suitable to support 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.

Staff were provided with training, support and resources, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) to help them reduce infection risks when supporting people. Managers undertook regular spot checks on staff to make sure staff were taking appropriate action to reduce infection risks.

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

People were supported to take their medicines when they needed these. Medicines records confirmed people received the medicines prescribed to them. Staff were provided with relevant training and were supported to manage and administer medicines safely. A staff member told us, “I have just completed the training and been signed off to do this. The clinical lead came around to sign me off as competent before I can start to do this.” Managers undertook regular spot checks and audits to make sure medicines were managed and administered safely by staff.