Best Care 4 U Stanmore

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 positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Managers listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to identify and embed good practice.

Procedures were in place to respond to accidents, incidents and complaints and staff were aware of these. There were regular staff meetings, and messaging systems to ensure staff could learn following incidents and accidents.

One staff member told us, “We discuss incidents soon after they happen, we get messages from managers letting us know about them and what’s happened as a result, I mean what they have put in place.”

Relatives and people told us they had good communication with managers and could discuss any issues they had regarding their care and support.

The provider worked with people their relatives 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.

Staff were skilled at identifying when people’s health deteriorated and raised concerns about people’s health quickly. They worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes.

A healthcare professional said, “They [the provider] also work super swiftly to ensure that all equipment and needs of the client are met as soon as possible to quickly reduce discomfort or safety concerns.”

The provider worked with people and their relatives 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 and free from avoidable harm and neglect.

There were systems in place to help protect people from abuse. The provider had safeguarding procedures in place and staff undertook relevant training and had the opportunity to discuss about safeguarding during team and supervision meetings.

People using the service and their relatives felt safe with the staff. Their comments included, “Very safe, they are very kind they know [relatives] routine, and they respond almost immediately ” and “Oh Yes, I do feel safe, staff act as a carers and look after my interests.”

There had not been any safeguarding concerns at the service, but the provider was aware of the safeguarding processes for the local authorities.

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.

Risk assessments and care plans contained detailed information to guide staff in supporting people safely, using strategies that were proportionate and the least restrictive.Staff involved people in everyday decisions and encouraged participation in activities that mattered to them, such as, local trips out to the shops and cafes, meal preparation and support with what they wanted to wear. This supported independence and confidence.

A relative said, “Yes, [to do with the risk of] falls, they make sure [relative] uses [relative’s] frame or walking stick they will walk behind [relative] for reassurance.”

This collaborative approach helped people feel empowered, supported and safe. Risk assessments were reviewed regularly to reflect any changes.

The provider detected and supported people to control potential risks in their homes.

The service provided support in people’s own homes, they were not responsible for the upkeep of these premises. However, risk assessments were in place to ensure the environments in people’s homes were safe to protect people and staff from harm.

When people used equipment, there was a system in place to make sure that this was serviced, checked and safe for use.

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 had the right mix of skills to make sure that practice was safe, and they were able to respond to unforeseen events. Staff told us they felt supported and received appropriate training and supervisions to enable them to fulfil their roles.

People were supported by a regular staff team, and care was delivered through agreed routines which meant people experienced continuity of care. One relative told us, “Yes, they [staff] know what they are doing and they also listen to us as we know [relative] best. They are brilliant at taking things on board and we are so thankful.”

Appropriate recruitment checks were carried out as standard practice. Recruitment processes were robust, and staff were recruited safely.

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.

There were clear roles, responsibilities and procedures around infection prevention and control that met current and relevant national guidance. Staff received appropriate training on infection prevention and control (IPC) and understood their role and responsibilities for maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the premises and their own personal hygiene, including hand hygiene.

Staff were provided with and used personal protective equipment (PPE) such as disposable gloves and aprons, which were appropriate for the care they were delivering and the level of infection risk. One relative told us, “Staff wear PPE when doing personal care, they also wear a uniform and wear masks.”

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 received training in the safe management of medicines, and their competency in relation to this was checked regularly. The provider audited people’s medicine administration records to check for any errors.

The local pharmacy told us, “They [the provider] are proactive in seeking advice before administering new medicines and often go the extra mile to check clients understand their medicines and report back to us on compliance or side effects.”