Eleanor Nursing and Social Care Ltd - Pantiles House

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

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. This is the first assessment for this re-registered 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.

People were encouraged and supported to raise safety concerns with the provider. Managers and staff understood the importance of reporting safety concerns and learning lessons when things went wrong.

Systems were in place to support staff to report and record safety concerns and events when these arose. Managers investigated safety concerns and events and used the learning from these to support staff to continually improve their practice, reduce risk and keep people safe.

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.

Information was obtained from people, and others involved in their care, about people’s individual needs and risks they might face. This was used to develop individualised care and risk management plans to ensure people received safe and appropriate care and support from the moment they started to use the service.

The provider worked with people and external health and social care 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.

Managers and staff understood how to safeguard people. They knew how to recognise and report abuse and were able to articulate how they would spot signs if people were at risk of abuse or harm. A member of staff told us, “I would make sure I refer any abuse I might see or hear about to the managers in-charge straight away.” People told us they felt safe living at this extra care housing scheme. One person said, “I do feel safe here.”

Managers worked proactively with the relevant external agencies, when a concern was raised, and took appropriate action to safeguard people from further risk, when this was required.

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 were aware of the risks people might face and the steps they needed to take to prevent or safely manage them. Staff were attentive and alert to any changes that might indicate people needed support for any anxiety or discomfort they might be experiencing.

However, although we found no evidence that people had been harmed, records relating to the risks posed to people who were sensory impaired were not sufficiently detailed. This meant staff did not have access to all the relevant guidance they needed to prevent or safely manage risks posed to people with sensory impairment needs. We discussed the issue with the managers at the time of this inspection. They acknowledged this failure and took immediate action to risk assess the sensory needs of people using the service and shared the outcome of the completed assessment with us.

The issue described above notwithstanding, most people’s care and risk management plans contained sufficiently detailed and up to date information and guidance for staff to follow, ensuring they know how identified risks could be minister or managed safely. A member of staff told us, “All the information we need to follow is in people’s care plans and the training is excellent, so we know how to look after and keep people safe here.” Systems were in place to ensure risks to people were continually assessed, monitored and reviewed.

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

Effective arrangements were in place to monitor the safety and maintenance of the premises, which a Housing Association as the property's landlord was responsible for. This ensured the building and equipment was maintained and serviced at regular intervals.

There was clear guidance available to staff to follow to help them deal with emergencies. We saw personal emergency evacuation plans were in place to help staff evacuate people in the event of a fire. Staff confirmed they had received fire safety training. Manager told us people living at the scheme are all offered neck and pull string alarms so they can immediately contact staff in an emergency.

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.

The provider operated safe recruitment practices and only suitable staff were employed to work at the scheme.

Managers ensured people received continuity of care and support from the same group of staff who were familiar with their needs, wishes and daily routines. A person said, “I constantly get the same group of staff visit me in my flat.” Another person added, “I get the same carers support me at home all the time which is great.”

Staff had enough time to undertake their duties and provide people with the care and support they needed. One person said, “Staff usually come as quickly as they can whenever I call for assistance.” A member of staff added, “The managers coordinate our call visits well and we usually have enough time to do all the tasks we? were scheduled to do and get to our next call on time.”

Staff were supported with their learning and development needs and encouraged to continually improve in their role. A member of staff said, “I do feel supported by the managers.” Managers ensured staff had at least one formal individual supervision meeting with their line manager every quarter.

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. People were supported to live in a clean, hygienic environment.

Staff had received relevant infection control and food hygiene training, which meant they knew the processes to follow to minimise the risk and spread of infection. Staff had access to resources and equipment to help them reduce infection risks. People told us staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment [PPE] when they supported them with any personal care and their flats were routinely cleaned by the domestic staff. A person told us, “Staff help me keep my flat extremely clean as you can see.” The provider’s infection prevention and control policy was current and reflected national guidance.

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. Medicines systems were well-organised and safely managed. Medicines stocks, balances and records showed people consistently received their prescribed medicines as and when they should. People confirmed they received their medicines as they were prescribed.

Care plans included detailed guidance for staff about how people needed and preferred their medicines to be administered. Staff received relevant training and their competency to continue managing medicines safely was routinely assessed. This meant they were clear about their roles and responsibilities in relation to the safe management and administration of medicines. There were regular audits of medicines at the service. This included regular ‘spot’ checks of staff’s practice to ensure they remained competent and safe to administer and manage.

The provider had policies in place relating to storage and administrating medications. Staff were able to demonstrate how to correctly store controlled medications as per policy despite not having these drugs on site at the time of inspection.