Crystal Caring

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 manager told us how information was shared with staff to promote a learning culture. They said, “There is a regular and structured approach to sharing information across the Crystal Caring Team, using multiple channels including in-person meetings, [online team meetings], and email. These foster open communication, team accountability, and shared understanding.”

Leaders had made improvements since the last inspection. For example, leaders now completed regular audits on staff recruitment files to ensure staff were recruited safely. This meant it would be easier for leaders to identify any shortfalls. The service was no longer in breach of the regulations. This demonstrated leaders were committed to improving the service.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

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. At the last inspection, safeguarding concerns had not been reported to relevant authorities. At this inspection, we saw that safeguarding concerns had been reported where appropriate. Staff had a better understanding of how to keep people safe. The provider now shared concerns quickly and appropriately. People and their relatives told us people were safe. There were now clearer processes to safeguard people from abuse.

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. At the last inspection, people’s care and support plans lacked information about how staff should support people to manage risks. At this inspection, people’s care plans contained clear and detailed information to guide staff to support people safely, and staff told us this was effective. People and relatives told us they felt risks were managed safely.

We did not look at Safe environments during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safe and effective staffing during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Leaders had improved their system for managing people’s medicines. Medication Administration Records (MAR) demonstrated people received their medicines as prescribed. We identified 1 recording error; however, this had been picked up by leaders and there was evidence to show these medicines had been given.

Leaders demonstrated how they regularly observed staff administering medicines to check their competence. Leaders had also introduced a safer system for staff to administer medicines in Multi Compartment Aids (MCAs), which was an improvement since the last inspection.