Comfort Care At Home

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.

We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Family members told us they would recommend Comfort Care At Home to others because of the excellent quality care their relatives received. The service shared concerns quickly and appropriately. The staff team concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. Staff received training and understood how to protect people from abuse. A staff member told us, "Safeguarding is about the protection of the clients and against the abuse which can be physical, mental etc. We look for signs. We wouldn’t get involved personally and approach the manager so that she could raise the safeguarding.”

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. People’s care plans were person centred and included tasks related to people’s preferences and individual care needs such as assistance required to support a person with their nutrition and mobility. Information was clearly recorded in the way people liked to be assisted with personal care. People were encouraged to discuss their end of life plans where they felt comfortable to do so. The service completed monthly fire alarm tests and requested the London Fire Brigade to undertake an annual fire safety check in people’s homes.

We did not look at Safe environments during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. Regular supervisions, spot checks and competency assessments were carried out to monitor and observe staff in their role. Staff were trained and worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. A person told us, “I am very pleased with the carers, they are very good and very helpful.” Family members’ comments included, “The staff are all respectful, kindly and thoroughly professional. They are exceptionally well-trained, and I have found them to be reliable and dependable; they always call to let my [relative] know if they will be late or if a different carer will be attending than the person [my relative] was expecting.” The service promoted staff within the organisation and encouraged them to develop their skills in the areas that they were passionate about.

Staff were suitably recruited and had to undertake pre-employment checks before they started working with people. This included references and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Medicines optimisation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.