Medacs Healthcare Plc

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 provider had systems in place to review and investigate accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns. The registered manager explained how, after an incident, they had reviewed how they stored information relating to people who had a Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) in place. The registered manager had reviewed the codes on people’s care plans so staff could quickly identify if a person had a DNACPR in place, if required.

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 service worked with other health and social care providers to make sure information was shared to ensure people received consistency with their care and support. People’s needs were assessed prior to them receiving a service. This ensured the service was able to meet people’s needs.

Staff spoke positively about working with other health and social care professionals. A staff member said, “We work alongside other health care professionals, like district nurses for example. All relevant information is logged in care plans so we can work together.”

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.

The provider had systems and policies in place to protect people from potential abuse and harm. Staff received appropriate training to ensure they understood how to recognise the signs of potential abuse and their responsibilities to report any accidents, incidents or safeguarding concerns. Staff told us, “I can raise a safeguarding concern by recording in my log notes and then I will call office and report it to my manager. I will follow up on the concern after one or two days.If there is any immediate danger to a service user or carer then I will call the police or an ambulance and report my concerns” and “I would raise a concern on the App and speak to my manager. If I had any concerns about immediate danger, I would ring the police. We all had safeguarding training to recognise the signs of abuse.”

The registered manager reported safeguarding concerns to the local authority safeguarding team and CQC as required. We reviewed correspondence between the service and the local authority regarding safeguarding concerns which evidenced the registered manager had taken actions regarding the concerns raised and to mitigate future risk.

The provider had a “No Reply and No Entry” procedure to guide staff on the actions they should take when they were unable to access a care visit and what they needed to do to keep people safe.

People and their representatives told us they felt the service provided was safe. One person told us, “I feel very safe when they give me my care. They come in and help me get dressed and make my meals.”

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.

There were processes in to guide staff on how they should support people with positive risk taking to achieve their desired outcomes. Positive risk taking was supported by the development of care plans and strategies which ensured people were safe whilst still being able to do the things which were important to them. Staff told us, “We always respect the service user’s choice and decision. If there is any risk associated with the service users’ chosen activity, we always remind them about risk so they can rethink on their choice or decision and if needed they can change their choice.”

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 risk assessments were in place to ensure staff were safe whilst supporting people. Where people required the use of aids for safe moving and handling risk assessments were in place to support staff to be able to use this equipment safely.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

The provider followed robust recruitment practices to make sure all staff were suitably experienced, competent and able to carry out their role. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks were carried out. These provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

Staff received training appropriate and relevant to their role. Staff received an induction when commencing their employment with the service and additional core training relevant to their role. Staff’s training was recorded and monitored by the registered manager and office staff to ensure they remained up to date with their knowledge and skills. A staff member told us, “Training covers essential topics like safeguarding, infection control, and manual handling. I feel well prepared and up to date.”

Staffing was organised to ensure there was enough staff to meet people’s needs. A staff member told us, “Staffing is scheduled to match client needs, ensuring adequate cover. There are enough staff to meet people’s needs.”
 

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.

The provider had systems in place for assessing and managing the risk of infection, which was in line with current national guidance. There was a policy in place and staff received training on the prevention and control of infection. Unannounced spot checks were completed by the registered manager and office staff to ensure staff were wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and were following hand washing 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.

The were systems and policies in place for the safe management and administering of people’s medicines. The registered manager regularly completed audits to ensure people received their correct medication on time and in a safe way. The audits were reviewed to identify any trends or patterns where medications had been missed or not given to ensure lessons were learned. Actions were taken when medicines had been missed. For example, one person missed their morning medication due to their prescription arriving late. Records showed staff had liaised with the pharmacy about this and to ascertain if the medication could still be safely taken later, which it could.

Staff completed training and received a competency assessment for the safe handling of medicines before being permitted to administer medicines to people. The policy stated staff were required to undertake refresher training in medicines management annually to ensure they remained competent.