BBC CARE SERVICE LIMITED- Walton on Thames branch (New)

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulation in relation to safeguarding. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of this regulation.

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 reported safety events when necessary.

The provider had processes in place to ensure accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed to identify any actions that could be taken to prevent a recurrence. The provider shared information with other relevant professionals if safety events occurred. Lessons were learned to identify and instil good practice. Learning from incidents was shared with staff at team meetings.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed well. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

The provider communicated effectively with other professionals to ensure people’s care was effectively planned and delivered, for example, when people returned home from hospital. People were involved in planning their care, and their views were listened to and taken into account.

The provider worked with people to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff focused on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, abuse, and avoidable harm. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

Staff attended safeguarding training in their induction and regular refresher training thereafter. Staff understood their responsibility to recognise and report any potential signs of abuse. One member of staff said, “I am aware of safeguarding procedures and know how to report any concerns about abuse or safety. I have not personally had to raise a safeguarding concern, but I am sure the office team would respond promptly and appropriately if any concerns arose.” Another member of staff told us, “In case of abuse or safeguarding concern I would report to my supervisor immediately and document it. However, if the concern was an emergency I would call police on 999.”

The provider worked with the local authority and other agencies to investigate when safeguarding concerns were raised. This included contributing to safeguarding enquiries and providing information when requested.

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. Any risks involved in people’s care had been assessed and guidance put in place for staff about how to mitigate these.

Relatives told us staff supported their family members to stay safe, including when they mobilised. One relative said staff were, “As careful as they can be” when supporting their family member to transfer from their bed to a chair and vice versa, adding that staff communicated throughout the process to ensure their family member felt safe and secure.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment and facilities supported the delivery of safe care. Any potential risks in the environment in which care was to be provided were assessed and mitigated.

People told us staff helped them keep their homes safe and secure. Relatives told us staff knew how to use any equipment involved in their family member’s care safely. One person said, “[Family member] uses a hoist now; they know how to use it safely.”

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.

People told us they received a well-planned, reliable service. They said staff usually arrived on time and always stayed for the scheduled length of the visit. Staff told us their rotas were well-planned and that they had enough time at each visit to provide the care people needed. A member of staff said, “My rota is well-planned, as it allows me to arrive on time for the calls. I have enough time to support my client in anything that he needs.”

Staff were recruited safely. The provider carried out pre-employment checks including obtaining a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate. Disclosure and Barring Service checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

Staff had access to the training they needed to carry out their roles. All staff had an induction when they joined the service, which included shadowing experienced staff to understand how people preferred their care to be provided. The provider used a blend of face-to-face training delivered by an external training provider, and online eLearning.

Staff told us the induction and training they had received had equipped them with the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. One member of staff said, “I received an induction which was well structured, providing me with a good understanding of my role as a care worker, and the policies and procedures.I also completed the 15 Care Certificate standards.” The Care Certificate is a framework of agreed standards for health and social care workers in the UK, designed to ensure they have the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours to provide safe, compassionate, and high-quality care.

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 received training in infection prevention and control (IPC) in their induction and access to regular refresher training. Staff told us they always had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) when they needed it.

People’s care plans detailed the level of support they needed to manage their medicines.Relatives of people who received support to manage their medicines told us staff did this safely.

Staff received training and their competency was assessed before they were authorised to administer medicines. Staff told us the training they had received meant they were confident in managing medicines safely. One member of staff said, “I am well trained on how to administer medication based on the 6R’s i.e. the right person, right medication, right time, right dose, right to refuse, right route. I get refresher training in medication administration and management which has made me confident in performing my tasks safely.”

The provider had a policy which provided a framework for the safe management of medicines and helped to minimise risks and prevent errors. The management team carried out regular audits to checks medicines were being administered correctly and in line with people’s prescriptions.