Archived: Defoe Court

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. Accidents and incidents were monitored to ensure lessons were learnt to identify and embed good practice. One member of staff told us, “Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents is always a priority.”

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care. Healthcare partners spoke positively about their interactions with staff and the care people received, with one telling us, “There are always staff there to help us and they always have the information we need. I haven't had any concerns about the place.”

People were safeguarded from abuse. One person we spoke with said, “I feel very safe here.” The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff told us they would not hesitate to report any concerns they had and were confident this would be acted on. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

Risks to people were assessed and plans put in place to reduce the chances of these occurring. People were encouraged to take managed risk to maintain their independence, for example in moving around the service by themselves. Assessments were regularly reviewed to ensure people’s safety.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care by carrying out regular checks. Required testing and safety certificates were in place. The provider had plans in place to support people in emergency situations that disrupted the service.

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. However, relatives and staff told us staff were sometimes pressured in their roles and felt additional staff would be useful. A relative told us, “When we visit, we definitely have noticed the time it takes for staff to attend to [named person] is longer.” A member of staff we spoke with said, “While everyone does their best to support one another, we still find ourselves struggling to meet the demands of the day.” We spoke with the provider about this, who said staffing levels would be reviewed.

Regular and relevant training took place, which staff said was useful. One member of staff said, “We have continuous online and in-house training that we are always encouraged to complete, and regular growth conversations.” Supervisions and appraisals were used to support staff in their roles and allow them to raise any issues they had. New staff were safely recruited into the service, with pre-employment checks carried out before they could start work.

Effective infection prevention and control (IPC) systems were in place. The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection, including through IPC training and regular cleaning of the service. A relative told us, “The cleaners seem to do an outstanding job and the home is always clean and tidy, the cleaning staff appear to be thorough and respond quickly to any issues.”

Medicines were managed safely and stored securely. Systems were in place to safely and effectively monitor the receipt, administration and disposal of medicines. Consideration was always given to whether people could manage their own medicines, with staff supporting with this where it was safe to do so. Staff who managed medicines received training and competency checks to ensure they had the knowledge and skills needed to do so.