Right at Home North Leeds, Otley and Wetherby

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. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. The service promoted a strong learning culture. Staff receive regular training updates. Lessons learned from incidents and audits were shared during team meetings to ensure continuous improvement. A relative told us they would contact the registered manager if they had any concerns.

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. We saw clear systems in place to manage care safely. Risk assessments were completed and reviewed regularly. One person told us, “By talking to the [registered] manager personally beforehand, the care that was shown at that point showed us the care we could expect from the service if we chose to work with them, plus the detail in the care plan saying what they would do and when they would do it, gave us the confidence to choose them as the right provider.”

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 completed safeguarding training and demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities. Policies were current and accessible, and safeguarding concerns were reported promptly in line with local authority procedures.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In [care homes/hospitals], this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service.

A person told us, “Staff are trained to treat me in a very professional manner, they treat me with respect and keep me safe.”

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs, which was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. People were actively involved in decisions about their care and risk management. Care plans reflected individual preferences and included strategies to reduce risk while promoting independence. One relative told us, “They’re very safety conscious, and will only work in a safe manner. If ever they have any concerns about [name] they talk to me and tell me, as well as raising it with the office and district nurses if necessary.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. We saw people had an environment risk assessment in place. People told us staff arrived on time. One relative told us, “They [staff] are always careful to make sure the equipment is used safely, they are very safety conscious.

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. Recruitment processes were robust, ensuring staff were suitably qualified and vetted. Staffing levels were monitored to meet the needs of people safely, and rotas were planned to maintain continuity of care. A relative told us, “I think they are very careful about training, they seem well trained, and I like that the new staff shadow experienced staff when they start. I also like that they send people out to check that what they are doing is right, even the more experienced staff get senior staff coming and watching what they do from time to time. We have regular staff who come, we have a nice little routine going.” Another relative told us, “They are particularly punctual, usually spot on. There are occasions where they are a little late, normally only by 2 or 3 minutes, and I get a phone call saying they are going to be late.”

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. No-one raised any concerns in relation to infection control. A staff member told us, “There is always lots of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available I can go into the office when needed for gloves, masks, aprons etc. I was provided with PPE when I joined, and I collect more.”

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. Medication management systems were in place. Staff were trained in safe administration, and audits confirmed compliance with best practice and regulatory standards. A staff member told us, “The level of support with medication depends on each person’s requirements. I know to always check the medication inside matches the box, and the correct dose is given at the correct time. Some medications are time sensitive or cannot be taken in conjunction with another, or grapefruit should not be consumed. Just having full knowledge on the medications, they are taking and the circumstances in which they need to be taken.”