Loxley Park Assisted Living Residency

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 81 (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. Robust systems were in place to record, monitor and learn from accidents and safeguarding concerns. Learning from incidents was shared with the wider staff team and analysed to ensure people received timely referrals and healthcare interventions where required. For example, monthly accident analysis data was reviewed to identify emerging risks and determine whether additional support measures were needed for people.

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 to ensure people’s smooth transitions when moving between services. People had hospital passports, which contained key information about their needs and preferences to support continuity of care should they require hospital treatment. The registered manager maintained oversight of people’s care needs and visited people in hospital settings to assess and review their needs, ensuring safe and planned discharges back into the service where appropriate. This proactive approach supported positive outcomes for people. One relative told us, “The care here is outstanding. Following falls with broken bones the hospital wanted to discharge my relative elsewhere. The registered manager went to the hospital and got my relative back to here [Loxley Park]. The registered manager increased onsite care to 7 visits each day.”

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. Safeguarding concerns were shared promptly and appropriately with relevant professionals. All people and relatives we spoke with told us they felt safe receiving care from the service. People commented, “I am definitely safe and not scared or frightened. I press my buzzer and they [staff] come instantly,” and “The first night I came here and had care was the first time I felt truly safe in a long time.” Staff were up to date with safeguarding training and demonstrated a clear understanding of the service’s safeguarding policies and reporting procedures. This was reflected in feedback from professionals. One professional told us, “Loxley Park staff are very good at communicating the needs of residents and readily act upon any concerns.” We assessed whether the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We found mental capacity assessments were detailed, decision specific and reflected people’s individual abilities to make decisions about their care and support.

The provider always worked well with people to fully understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care that fully met people’s needs and was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. People were actively supported to take positive and informed risks that promoted independence, choice and control. Staff adopted a creative and comprehensive approach to risk taking, ensuring risks were clearly understood, proportionately managed and regularly reviewed. Risk assessments were completed collaboratively with people, their families and, where appropriate, health and social care professionals. This ensured a detailed and accurate understanding of each person’s individual risks and how these could be safely supported.

Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of people’s needs and identified appropriate measures to mitigate risks without unnecessarily restricting freedom. Where people’s needs changed, staff reassessed risks promptly to ensure care remained safe, responsive and effective. This culture of shared responsibility and continuous review was clearly embedded across the service. A staff member told us, “Safety is our priority, as a team we are always making the necessary steps to eliminate and reduce risks to our members [people].”

Staff consistently demonstrated an understanding of the importance of balancing safety with people’s rights to choice, independence and autonomy. People told us risks were well managed in a way that did not limit their freedom. One person said, “I can live the life I want to live here and can be my own person.” For people at risk of falls, staff carried out thorough assessments, implemented appropriate preventative measures and ensured suitable equipment was provided and used effectively. The registered manager shared several positive examples of risks being managed in a highly person-centred way. We observed staff supporting a person living with a cognitive impairment to enjoy walking independently around the grounds. A staff member told us, “I will ensure the person comes back safe, but [person] loves walking and we can’t restrict that. We want to encourage people to do what they enjoy safely as much as possible.”

Following the walk, staff proactively updated the person’s family about the successful outcome. The person appeared relaxed and happy, clearly benefitting from being supported to take positive risks in a way that enhanced their wellbeing and quality of life.

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 using the home care service lived in self-contained flats on site at Loxley Park and received care and support in their own homes. Environmental risk assessments were completed for each person’s flat, including fire safety risk assessments, to identify and manage individual risks. Equipment was available to support people to mobilise safely and to receive personal care, such as walking frames and shower chairs. Staff were trained in the safe use of equipment and competency checks were completed to ensure people were supported safely and the risk of harm was reduced. The service had access to on‑site maintenance support, which enabled environmental concerns to be addressed in a timely manner. This helped to ensure the environment remained safe for people. People had positive relationships with staff, and we saw evidence that adaptations were requested and put in place to support people to mobilise safely in their flats. The service operated a pendant alarm system that was monitored 24 hours a day. This allowed people to request assistance at any time should they need support, helping to provide reassurance and timely help when required.

The provider made sure there were always enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received thorough support, supervision and strong development opportunities. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. Staff had completed training relevant to their roles, which enabled them to provide good quality care and support. Staff worked extremely well together as a team, and we found there was continuity in the staff supporting people. This helped people to develop positive relationships with staff and supported consistency in routines and outcomes.

Recruitment practices were safe, and the provider ensured appropriate checks were completed before staff commenced employment. People were involved in meeting prospective staff during the recruitment process, which supported assessments of communication skills and kindness.

Staff received regular supervision and appraisal. A staff member told us, “Yes, we have regular supervisions and appraisals at Loxley Park, which really help us in our roles. Supervisions are carried out approximately every 2 to 3 months. At Loxley Park, we have group supervision, 1 to 1 supervision and observational supervision. These sessions allow us to discuss our work, reflect on our practice, identify training needs and ensure we are providing person-centred care.”

Staff were supported to develop their skills and knowledge, and some had achieved additional qualifications during their employment. Staff spoke positively about the impact of this on their confidence and wellbeing. The registered manager described the importance of maintaining a positive staff culture and told us they placed a strong focus on supporting staff to deliver good quality 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.The service had an up to date infection prevention and control (IPC) policy, which staff were aware of and followed in practice. Sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) were readily available throughout the service to support safe care delivery. Staff received training in infection prevention and control and demonstrated an understanding of when and how to use PPE correctly. A member of staff told us, “We use PPE such as gloves, aprons and masks to help prevent the spread of infection and to protect both people and staff. We are trained in IPC and understand when and how to use PPE correctly. Having easy access to PPE ensures we can provide safe care and maintain a clean and safe environment for everyone at Loxley Park.”

The provider ensured medicines and treatments were managed safely and in line with people’s assessed needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning their medicines, including when changes were made, and actively encouraged people to maintain independence with their medicines where it was safe to do so. Appropriate risk assessments were in place to support people who chose to manage or administer their own medicines. The service had effective systems to review and analyse instances where medicines had not been administered as planned. Any medication administration errors were appropriately investigated, analysed and reviewed to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. The registered manager completed regular audits of electronic medication administration records to provide ongoing oversight and assurance. Staff received appropriate medicines training and competency assessments before being authorised to administer medicines. Some people were prescribed medicines on an ‘as required’ (PRN) basis, and clear protocols were in place to support staff to administer these safely and appropriately. People spoke positively about how their medicines were managed. One person told us, “My medicines are always given to me on time, I’ve never had to ask for them."