Delta Care Ltd - Blackburn and Darwen

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 newly registered 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. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.Staff investigated incidents and medication errors, and lessons were shared through team meetings and supervision. Staff felt confident raising concerns and reported that they would be listened to. One member of staff told us, “If I ever needed to say anything. The manager would sort it.”

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.Care plans were person-centred and regularly reviewed. Staff used QR codes to log visits, and call monitoring systems flagged delays or missed visits. Feedback from people confirmed staff arrived on time and stayed for the full duration.

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.People consistently reported feeling safe. Staff were safely trained in safeguarding adults. The provider worked closely with the Local Authority in sharing concerns, and these were also notified to CQC. Staff were aware of safeguarding procedures, and they felt confident in raising a concern.

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.People were involved in managing their care and risks. Risk assessments were in place for falls, medication, and behaviours that challenge. Staff recognised when people were struggling and alerted the office, and managers responded promptly. People felt listened to and respected, and staff adapted care based on individual preferences.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.Leaders assessed people’s home environments to make sure they were safe. Staff were informed of any risk within the person’s home and where there was a risk, the service worked with the person to reduce the risk, where possible. Staff were made aware of any changes to environmental risks to ensure care was not disrupted and information was shared in a transparent way.

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.Staffing was safe and effective. Staff received regular supervision and spot checks. Training was up to date, with workshops and practical sessions tailored to staff needs. Staff felt supported and valued, and new starters praised the induction process. The service matched staff to people’s preferences where possible. The service used a rota system that ensured adequate staffing and staff took pride in working as a team to ensure there was not a reliance on agency workers.

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.Infection prevention and control measures were robust. Staff consistently wore personal protective equipment (PPE) and followed hygiene protocols. People praised staff for their cleanliness and respectful care. Staff received training on how to manage infection risks which included practical sessions on hygiene.

The provider had systems in place to support safe medicines use, and largely medicines were managed safely, but some improvements were required to documentation to ensure consistent and robust practice. People told us they felt staff safely administered medication and staff were described as respectful and hygienic when supporting with medication. One person told us, “They [staff] wear protective gear all of the time.” People who self-administered felt confident doing so and knew who to contact if they had concerns. Staff followed procedures for administering medication however documentation in some cases needed improvement. Controlled and ‘as and when required’ medication (PRN) were not always clearly documented. In one case, a controlled drug was listed without instructions for staff to complete a medication count or document administration. This was corrected by the provider during the inspection period. Similarly, another documentation plan lacked a PRN protocol (which guides staff on when to give medication) for two medicines was missing. The provider responded immediately to this and corrected the issue. People using the service expressed confidence in staff and felt safe receiving medication support.