Homecare Services (Bury)

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.

Documentation was reviewed regularly, and monthly audits and spot checks were completed to ensure consistency and quality of care. These included infection prevention and control, medication management, and moving and handling practices. These systems were clearly effective and helped to identify any further areas of learning to ensure practice remained safe and in line with best practice. All the people we spoke with felt staff were equipped to carry out their role safely and effectively. The relative of one person told us, “We feel that we are in a very unique position having such a good care company, and [relative] is safe with the carers.”

Systems were in place to help monitor any accidents and incidents so that appropriate action could be taken and any learning shared with the team.

There was also a comprehensive face-to-face training package provided which supported a learning culture, which staff could expand on should they wish to further their learning and development. One staff member stated, “The training provided is really good and motivates us.”

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.

There was a robust process for planning and assessing people’s support in collaboration with external professionals. This ensured consistently safe and effective transitions into the service, with exceptional care focusing on individual needs, wishes, and preferences. One person stated, “I did have another care company before Homecare who were not good, this company really cares.”

Communication was exemplary, particularly in the dissemination of training to other staff members, ensuring continuity and consistency."

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

Staff had a good awareness of the safeguarding and whistle blowing policies and demonstrated a good understanding of the risks people could face. Staff felt confident, should they raise any safeguarding concerns, they were confident these would be promptly dealt with by managers. The local authority told us, “The management team is highly proactive and collaborates effectively with us. Complaints and safeguarding concerns are extremely rare, and on the rare occasions they arise, they are addressed promptly and professionally. They go above and beyond for the people they support.”

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 were clearly individualised and captured people’s varied needs. A review of records showed assessments included areas of potential risk and the use of equipment, such as risk of pressure sores, health conditions or requiring the use of a hoist. People’s care records were personalised and provided clear information about support to minimise such risks. People and their relatives told us staff supported them in keeping safe. We were told, “Manual handling is safe and there have been no accidents” and “They check [persons] skin and alert me if there are any red marks.” The relative of one person was confident staff understood their health care needs, adding, “[Person] has epilepsy and can have seizures. The carers are very well equipped to deal with this as they understand their health conditions.”

Where people had more complex needs or therapy goals, a collaborative approach was taken. Input was obtained from other health and social care professionals. A therapist who had worked closely with the provider affirmed, “Throughout the rehabilitation process, I engaged with Management and various members of her team to complete joint risk assessments and provide demonstrations of specific therapeutic handling and transfer techniques.”

We were aware that some people were awaiting aids and adaptations to ensure safe access to bathing facilities at home, the provider made alternative arrangements for people to attend other services where they could safely and effectively maintain good personal hygiene in line with their preferences, ensuring their needs were met.

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

The provider completed their own comprehensive assessments to ensure they were able to meet a person’s needs prior to support commencing. This included a risk assessment of the home environment. When people’s homes were found not to have appropriate fire safety measures they were referred to the fire service, with their consent. A senior member of staff would then visit with a fire safety officer to install equipment, such as smoke detectors.

Staff had completed training in relation to maintaining a safe environment. This included; fire safety awareness and health and safety.

When reviewing the daily care notes, it was well documented how carers accessed the property and secured people’s home at the end of their visits.

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.

A review of staff files showed relevant pre-employment checks had been carried out. The staff team was stable, with some members having worked for the service for many years.

People spoke positively about the staff and the care and support they received. People and their relatives told us, “The continuity of care is most impressive.” This led to people feeling that their care team knew them and their needs well. One relative reported, “By having the same carers, trust has developed, and [Person] feels safe.”

The program of learning and development provided to staff was comprehensive. Some staff spoke about more in-depth areas of training in which they wanted to further develop their learning, such as end-of-life care. This was supported by the provider enabling staff to further develop their knowledge and skills. This learning was then shared with other members of the team.

When considering the support from managers, a staff member expressed, “I would personally like to thank the managers and supervisors, particularly the on-call team, who were always at the end of the phone to offer advice, help, and support. Even if it seems like a silly question, they don’t judge.” This further demonstrated strong communication and an open learning culture.

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.

Systems were in place to promote good and safe hygiene practices. Relevant policies and procedures were available, and staff knew how to access them. There was also a range of face-to-face and online training, which was mandatory for staff; this included food hygiene and infection control.

Stocks of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were held at the office and readily available to collect as required. People told us, “Staff wear their PPE at all times” and “During personal care, the carers wear their gloves and aprons.” This demonstrated appropriate and consistent use.

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.

When speaking with people it was clear they were satisfied with the support received with the management and administration of their prescribed medication. One relative commented that they had no concerns as, “Medications are administered safely and there have been no mistakes as everything is recorded.”

When reviewing medication audits, from the last 3 months, there were a small number of instances in which signatures were not recorded on medication charts. This was promptly addressed by management, who on review of daily care notes found that medication had always been administered appropriately.

Records showed and staff confirmed that training in relation to the administration of medication had been completed and senior staff carried out spot checks to ensure practice was safe.