Agape Care Solutions

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 service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

Staff knew how to report safety concerns. The service implemented measures following accidents and incidents to prevent a recurrence. The registered manager had systems and processes in place to share learning with staff to drive improvement. Staff told us they received feedback following safety events and were provided with further training if needed.

The service 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.

Care and support were planned and organised with people and relatives in ways that ensured continuity. People’s information was kept up to date through regular reviews. There was a process in place to share information when people went into hospital. Health and social care professionals were complimentary about working with the service.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They 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 service shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

People told us they felt safe with support they received from staff. A relative told us, “[Person] is very safe with Agape Care Solutions. They are doing fantastic. [Person] feels safe with them, they understand.” Staff told us they knew how to report safeguarding concerns and felt confident to raise concerns as they would be dealt with appropriately. A staff member said this was, “because the service encourages open communication, and safeguarding and wellbeing are taken seriously.” The service had systems in place to ensure safeguarding concerns were reported to the local authority quickly and appropriately.

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

Care plans and risk assessments provided guidance to staff, enabling them to support people in line with their needs and preferences. These were regularly reviewed. People were supported to be engaged in positive risk taking, such as participating in community activities. Staff told us they were provided with all the information needed to support people safely.

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

The provider had assessed people’s home environments for potential risks. A relative told us staff had made a referral to a health care professional around moving and assisting needs. Staff had received training in how to use equipment safely. Staff told us they knew how to report any concerns to management, including when people’s needs had changed.

The service 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.

The service had an induction process for new staff. Staff told us they received the training they required for their role. A staff member said, “We have regular supervision meetings with our manager. I find them very useful because they provide an opportunity to discuss my work, any challenges I may be facing, training needs, and how I can improve my practice. It also allows me to raise any concerns and receive feedback and support.” Records showed staff had not been provided with health questionnaires. The service told us they would implement this as part of their recruitment process and introduce it to all staff already employed at the service. Staff received training, supervision and competency checks. Staff medicine and moving and handling competency assessments required more detail for the provider to be assured staff had completed training and developed skills to safely support people. In response to our feedback the provider developed a plan to improve the competency assessment documents.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

People were protected from the risk of avoidable infections. Staff had received infection prevention and control training. Staff use of PPE was monitored during spot checks of their practice. Relatives told us staff kept people’s homes clean.

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

People received their medicines as prescribed. Staff received medicines training. Where medicines were prescribed to be taken ‘when required’ there was personalised information to guide staff. Regular audits were carried out to identify any concerns.