Northern Angels 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 newly 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. Incidents, safeguarding concerns and complaints were investigated, with appropriate action taken to address concerns. Learning had been identified to help improve people’s care.

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 prior to receiving care. This helped to determine whether the service could meet their needs.

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. People and relatives told us the service was safe. A person said, “I feel safe, I have no worries. They help me out.” Staff had completed safeguarding training, and confirmed they were confident to raise concerns, if needed. Staff had completed training on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

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. Where potential risks to people’s health and wellbeing were identified, these were assessed and managed to keep people safe. Risk assessments identified measures for staff to follow and were reviewed regularly so they remained up to date.

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 environments were assessed to identify and manage potential risks to the safety of people and staff.

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.
People received care from a consistent and reliable staff team. They said staff usually arrived on time and stayed for the planned amount of time. A person commented, “They are usually on time and they are really nice.” New staff were recruited safely.
Staff were well supported and received regular one to one supervision. Staff had completed training relevant to their role, with all staff currently working towards completing level 1 training in learning disability and autism awareness. A staff member said, “I feel supported in my role. I feel able to ask questions and seek guidance when necessary, which is important when working in care.”
 

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 completed training in infection prevention and control (IPC) and were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE). A staff member said, “The infection control training is mandatory course we need to complete when joining, I have recently renewed this course this year.”

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 relatives confirmed medicines were given on time. A person said, “My medicines keep changing. They know what they are doing and they are always checking [to make sure they are correct].” Staff had completed medicines management training and their competency to give medicines had been assessed.