Home from Home Support Services 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 about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

A staff member told us, “When I identify concerns about a person’s wellbeing or safety, I escalate these promptly to the management and ensure they are clearly documented. Management respond appropriately and take action to safeguard the individual.” The staff member went on to provide examples where appropriate actions had been undertaken to protect individuals in a range of different situations.

Lessons were learned from safety incidents or complaints, resulting in improved changes for others. Lessons learned were shared through the staff team and embedded into daily practice.

For example, 1 person frequently declined or avoided personal care support especially in the morning or when fatigued or anxious. The team gradually worked through this to explore ways to reassure and support the person to maintain their personal hygiene and resulting wellbeing. The outcomes were clearly shared with the team to help ensure a consistent approach.

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 provider worked closely with individuals and healthcare partners to create safe and reliable care systems. They made sure people received consistent care, even when moving between different services.
Care plans were developed together with the person receiving care, their family (when appropriate), and health and social care professionals. The provider listened to and considered feedback from people using the service, their families, and staff to keep care smooth and continuous.

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.

All staff received safeguarding training. Staff were clear about how the registered manager responded to concerns. A staff member told us, “There is a clear and consistent process for incident reporting, escalation, and multi-agency involvement when required. We communicate changes in need effectively, and management responds in a timely and appropriate way.”

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 understood how to reduce risk and help keep people safe using the control measures resulting from a balanced and proportionate approach to risk assessment. Staff had a good understanding about how to act in response to any concerns they may have raised with them. A staff member told us, “From my experience, any concerns raised about the people we support are taken seriously by management. I feel confident that concerns are listened to and acted on in the best interests of the people we support.”

An external professional gave an example of how staff responded to changes in a person’s functional abilities and corresponding risks. They told us, “In my experience, Home from Home Support takes risk management and safeguarding seriously. Risk assessments are detailed, regularly reviewed and shared appropriately with professionals. Concerns are escalated in a timely way and they work collaboratively with the Local Authority, mental health teams and other agencies when risks increase.”

The management team reviewed incidents and information about risks routinely. We saw people’s care plans were updated where needed to help ensure staff had access to up to date information.

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

People’s living environment was clean, safe, fresh and well maintained.

A staff member told us, “The main toppriority is to make sure the environment is well maintainedand clean to the best standard. This includes infection control measures, such as cleaning shared equipment, maintaining hygiene during dayto day.”

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.

Staff received regular supervision. One staff member said, “Regular supervision provides guidance on adapting activities to meet individual abilities while ensuring safety. This support allows me to implement peoples’ suggestions confidently and ensures their wishes and feelings are prioritised.”

Staff received training appropriate to their roles. A staff member told us, “All mandatory, required, and essential training has been completed, which ensures I am able to carry out my role safely and in line with policies and procedures. This training supports me to understand safeguarding, health and safety, and best practice when supporting people.”

An external professional told us, “I have observed staff interacting with individuals in a respectful and dignified manner, with a clear focus on building trust and promoting independence where appropriate.”

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.

Staff told us “I have received clear instructions, up-to-date guidance, and always receive access to personal protective equipment (PPE). This has helped me feel confident and protected while supporting individuals during periods of rising case of flu and seasonal viruses.”

Another staff member said, “Safety has been managed well during the increase in flu and seasonal illnesses. Infection control guidance has been clear, PPE is available, and staff are reminded to follow good hygiene and safety practices. I feel confident that appropriate measures are in place to keep everyone safe.”

The provider made sure medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

The provider made sure medicines were given safely. Staff had been trained and their knowledge and practise tested before they could give medicines. Extra checks were done regularly or if there were any concerns.

Up-to-date information about each person’s medicines was always available. This was especially important when people moved between different health or care services or when their care needs changed.

Where people required staff to administer their medicines for them, they were stored in a secure cupboard within an external locked office.