MiHomecare - Finchley

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.

The provider had nurtured a good learning culture. Robust systems were in place to report, review and analyse key safety areas, including accidents and incidents. Leaders were proactive in overseeing safety events, reviewing the severity, contributory factors, trends and steps to reduce risk. Staff told us the provider had a ‘no blame culture’ and there was a positive learning environment.

Events were consistently viewed as an opportunity to put things right, to learn and improve. This ensured staff consistently reported all concerns. Any learning was shared across the staff team to ensure constant, safe practice.

Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. Learning was then shared with staff to improve safety. One staff member told us, “When incidents occur, we discuss them. They [leaders] go an extra mile to ensure they are all safe and their needs are met in the comfort of their homes.”

Staff were clear in their responsibility to report and record safety events. This included when people showed signs of emotional distress, agitation or if they were told of historic events, records were fully completed to show what action staff had taken, including how this had been reported, any healthcare involvement or medications and their effectiveness.

People and relatives we spoke with all were satisfied with how any safety events were handled and responded to.

Staff worked with people and with health and social care 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 related to peoples care needs was assessed prior to people joining the service. This helped to inform people’s care plans and risk assessments

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that

Systems and process to safeguard people from abuse were operated effectively. People told us they felt safe using the service. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood how to identify signs of abuse and raise concerns.

A member of staff told us “I would report any concerns or signs to the manager”

The provider had appropriate policies and procedures in place and staff understood their responsibility to safeguard people from avoidable harm.

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.

Care plans had personalised guidance for staff on how best to support people to minimise risks to their safety and emotional distress. People consistently told us that staff knew them exceptionally well. They were regularly involved in reviews of their care and had confidence in staff’s skills to support them safely.

Staff understood their responsibilities to keep people safe and told us how they involved people in their care. Staff received clear, up to date information about people’s risks and any safeguarding needs.

The provider had adapted their initial risk assessment to fully address all areas of needs and ensured staff had accurate, timely information to support safe decision making. The hands-on approach from the management meant teams received regular updates on people’s needs and they had clear guidance, ensuring staff felt informed, equipped and able to deliver safe care consistently.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Home environment risk assessments were completed when people first started using the service and were reviewed regularly. This helped to keep people and staff safe from risks associated with slips, trip and falls and fire safety around the home.

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.

Feedback from people around timekeeping and their care calls was positive. Comments included “My loved one has received care for years we have two calls a day and two carers each call they are punctual and we have a team of carers and we know each of them which is very comforting.”

The provider used an electronic scheduling system to plan and monitor care visits. This enabled real time oversight of when staff arrived and left people’s homes and supported effective rota management. Regular and familiar staff attended calls wherever possible and mapping tools were utilised to ensure realistic travel times, helping ensure calls were not rushed and care was delivered safely.

Pre-employment checks were completed to ensure staff were safe to work with the people they were supporting. Staff had an interview, and their Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) was checked and previous employment references sought. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the police national computer. Newly recruited staff received an induction into the service, and opportunities for shadowing of care calls were available.

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.

Personal protective equipment was available both in the office and within people’s homes, and staff monitored stock levels and informed the registered manager when replenishment was required.

All staff had completed infection prevention and control training and demonstrated an understanding of safe infection prevention and control practices.

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. Staff were trained and were assessed as competent to administer medicines safely. Processes were in place to ensure the supply of people’s medicines arrived on time.