GPS Care Services

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. The service had processes and policies in place to safely manage incidents. Records showed that when incidents occurred managers worked to understand what had happened and how to reduce the risk of re-occurrence.

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 service documented people’s needs in detail and these records could be shared with health and social care services when needed.

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 understood how to identify and report safeguarding concerns and kept detailed records of incidents which occurred.

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 plans of care contained personalised information about risks and how people wanted to be supported to manage these. For example, one person was supported to be independent with medicines, but asked staff to remind them when their stocks were running low so they could reorder these independently. People told us that staff followed their preferences.

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 service completed assessments with people before the commencement of care and conducted home visits to ensure that care could be delivered safely in the home environment. Staff understood the need to report issues around the equipment used in people’s home. A staff member told us, “On a recent visit staff observed damage to a sling, they reported this to get an immediate replacement.”

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 completed training to support their roles, and staff told us they felt confident in delivering care. A staff member told us, “I feel confident in the training I have had; the training helps.” Staff were recruited safely, and pre-employment information, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, references and experience was reviewed before new employees started delivering care and support.

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 had access to personal protective equipment (PPE), for example gloves and aprons, to minimise the risk of infection.

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. An online system was in place for monitoring the administration of medicines in people’s homes. Managers routinely audited the online information and completed spot checks to ensure medicines were managed safely.