Doncaster Community Support

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. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed to ensure lessons were learnt. Following accidents and incidents, support plans and risk assessments were updated to reflect any changes. One staff member said, “We have a debrief with staff after incidents to look for triggers and look at how things could be done different in the future.”

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. The provider had a transfer policy in place to ensure people transferred between services effectively and with all the relevant information to ensure transitions were streamlined. For example, one person had moved from their own home to supported living on a part time basis. Staff supported people to have tea visits or stay overnight. This gave people the opportunity to trial the service. This person now receives support from the provider both in their own home and in supported living.

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. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed to ensure lessons were learnt. Following accidents and incidents, support plans and risk assessments were updated to reflect any changes. One staff member said, “We have a debrief with staff after incidents to look for triggers and look at how things could be done different in the future.”

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. Risks associated with people’s care and support were identified and managed to keep people safe. Risk assessments identified hazards and showed what actions to take to mitigate risk.

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. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed to ensure lessons were learnt. Following accidents and incidents, support plans and risk assessments were updated to reflect any changes. One staff member said, “We have a debrief with staff after incidents to look for triggers and look at how things could be done different in the future.”

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. Staff were recruited safely and supported through an induction programme. Staff received training and support to carry out their role effectively. The management team completed competency checks with staff to ensure they were working in line with policies and procedures.

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. Staff confirmed they had access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and used it where required. Staff told us they washed their hands in between tasks to minimise the spread of infection. People and relatives told us staff respected their home and ensured they left it clean and tidy. A member of staff said, “As we are supporting people in their own homes, we promote cleanliness as much as we can and work with them [people] to improve their skills where needed.”

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. The provider had systems in place to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff were trained and supported to administer medicines safely. One staff member said, “We support very little with medication in this service. Most people independently administer their own medication.”