JJR Care Ltd

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 as 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 people had about their safety and knew how to report any safety events to the management team. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

Processes were in place to monitor incidents, accidents, and complaints effectively. The registered manager demonstrated an openness to learn lessons when things had gone wrong and shared learning with staff. Staff reported feeling confident to raise concerns and trusted the registered manager would take appropriate action when needed.

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.

People’s needs were assessed during a pre-assessment meeting to ensure the provider could meet them effectively. People and their families were involved. Communication was effective when people started using the service as staff had access to clear information about their needs, wants and wishes. The provider had systems in place to seek advice from health and social care professionals if and when people needed it.

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 were up to date with safeguarding training and demonstrated a clear understanding of forms of abuse and how to raise concerns. A staff member said, “I have not raised a safeguard, but I know of the red flags that could constitute different forms of abuse.” The provider reviewed and updated their safeguarding policy and procedure in line with current requirements. Family members told us they felt their relatives were safe. A family member said, “[Relative] is very happy and feels relaxed and safe with the staff.”

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.

The registered manager had established effective systems to ensure risk assessments were completed during the initial assessment, regularly reviewed and updated, with active involvement from the people and their family members. Risk assessments and care plans were person-centred and tailored to individuals’ needs. A family member said, “Both my [relative] and I were involved in the assessment process; we consented to it.”

Staff told us care plans and risk assessments were always clear and regularly updated. They understood the risks to people’s safety and wellbeing A staff member said, “The care plan is in the person’s home, and it tells me all about their needs and risks and also how they like things done. If any changes, we get told before we visit.”

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

Environmental risks were clearly documented within people’s care plans. A lone working policy was in place to ensure staff could safely access people’s homes. Staff had received health and safety and fire training and told us they would always be able to contact management if they had an environmental concern. A staff member told us, “I do my own risk assessment each time I go to make sure there are no safety concerns in the home.”

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 to assess their knowledge. Training was up to date, with a mixture of online training and practical sessions tailored to staff needs. Staff felt supported and valued. New staff members completed an induction when they joined the service to equip them for their role.

A system was in place for covering during times of sickness and absence. The service manager told us, “If I get a call that a staff member can’t cover the call, other staff will step in. If they have not been to that person before, I will always go with them to do an introduction and ensure the appropriate care is provided.”

Feedback from family members confirmed staff arrived on time and stayed for the duration of the call unless otherwise directed by them. A family member told us, “The staff member arrives on time with their ID and is very caring.” Another family member said, “The staff keep to time and I have no concerns.” People mostly had the same staff and staff confirmed that they visited the same people.

Recruitment records showed staff were recruited safely. This included identification checks, satisfactory references, full employment history, right to work verification and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for adults and children. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

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 in place. Staff received training on how to manage infection risks and had enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for their use. Any issues identified were picked up through spot checks and talking to people and their family members and resolved quickly.

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 and family members were involved in decisions and reviews about their medicines and the level of support needed to manage their medicines safely. The care plans identified if people administered their own medicines with or without support and described the support required from staff to enable them to remain independent with this task.

Medicines policies, procedures and systems followed current legislation, professional guidance and relevant best practice. Staff had received training in administering medicines. Audits were completed to check that medicine management guidelines were being followed safely.