Ripon and District Homecare

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 system was in place to record and monitor accidents and incidents. Managers identified lessons that could be learned to improve the service and ensured appropriate action was taken to reduce future risks.

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. Information was shared appropriately with relevant health and social care professionals to support joined-up care and help people achieve positive outcomes.

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 received safeguarding training, understood their safeguarding responsibilities and were confident any concerns they raised would be dealt with appropriately. The provider was meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

People told us they felt safe with staff and using the service. A person said, “The staff are very calm and experienced, I feel safe in their hands.”

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. Risks were identified and managed effectively. Risk assessments were person-centred and supported people in ways that kept them safe, whilst respecting their choices.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Risks within people’s home environments were identified in care records and were well-managed.

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.

All required checks were made prior to staff starting to work at the service. Staff received effective training, support and supervision. All staff spoken with told us they felt supported and said they had opportunities for regular discussions with managers about their work.

There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people’s needs. People told us visits were well organised and staff usually arrived as expected, and that staff had the skills needed to provide their support. A person told us, “They (staff) are excellent, competent, they know what they are doing, I have every confidence in them.”

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 had access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Medicines were managed and administered safely. The provider made sure medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences.

People told us they received their medicines as prescribed. A relative said, “The carers are very good, they supervise [person] taking their medication, they re-order and collect the medication, they give [person] eye drops, they know exactly what they are doing.”