Wandsworth Common Care 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. This is the first assessment for this newly re-registered service.

This key question has been rated Good. This meant people continue to be 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 service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

People were encouraged and supported to raise safety concerns with the provider. Managers and staff understood the importance of reporting safety concerns and learning lessons when things went wrong.

Systems were in place to support staff to report and record safety concerns and events when these arose. Managers investigated safety concerns and events and used the learning from these to support staff to continually improve their practice, reduce risk and keep people safe.

The service 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.

Information was obtained from people, and others involved in their care, about people’s individual needs and risks they might face. This was used to develop individualised care and risk management plans to ensure people received safe and appropriate care and support from the moment they moved into the care home.

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

Managers and staff understood how to safeguard people. They knew how to recognise and report abuse and were able to articulate how they would spot signs if people were at risk of abuse or harm. A member of staff told us, “When I was concerned about how staff treated a person living here I reported it to the manager straight away. I felt confident my concerns were taken seriously and prompt action taken to address them.” People told us they felt safe living at the care home. One person said, “I do absolutely feel safe living here. The staff know how to keep us safe.” A relative added, “My family and I feel that our [family member] is kept safe at all times at the care home.”

Managers worked proactively with the relevant external health and social agencies when a concern was raised, and took appropriate action to safeguard people from further risk, when this was required.

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

Staff ensured potential risks people might face were mitigated, so that people remained safe when taking part in activities and events of their choice. Staff were aware of the potential risks people might face and the steps they needed to take to prevent or safely manage them. For example, we saw staff remained vigilant throughout our inspection and closely monitored people who were at risk of falling so they would be immediately available if their assistance were required. An external care professional told us, “My clients are safe in the care home. Staff understand risks and take appropriate steps to mitigate it. For example, they [staff] are very good at identifying emerging risks early, especially when it comes to increased mobility needs and risk of falls.”

People’s care records contained up to date, sufficiently detailed and accurate information. Staff told us they always followed people’s risk assessments to enable people to take reasonable and acceptable risks. One member of staff said, “The residents care plans and risk assessments are clear and easy to follow ensuring people live safely in the care home.” Systems were in place to ensure risks to people were continually assessed, monitored and reviewed.

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

The premises were kept free of obstacles and hazards which enabled people to move safely around the care home. An external care professionals told us, “The care home is a very comfortable and safe environment for my clients to reside in and the interior is extremely well-furnished and decorated.”

There were effective arrangements to monitor the safety and upkeep of the premises. Regular checks were completed to help ensure the safety of the home’s physical environment and fire safety equipment. Staff told us they had clear guidelines available to help them deal with emergencies. In relation to fire safety, we saw emergency evacuation plans were in place to help staff evacuate people in an emergency.

General risk assessments were regularly reviewed and updated including reference to equipment used to support people, such as mobile hoists. This equipment was regularly serviced and maintained. For example, lifting and baths servicing took place regularly and visual checks were completed for bed rails, window restrictors and other equipment.

The service 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.

The provider operated safe recruitment practices and only fit and suitable staff were employed to work at the care home. Staffing levels matched the staff duty rota on the day of our site visit. Staff were visibly present on each of the units throughout this inspection and were quick to respond to people’s questions and requests for support. For example, we saw several instances of staff responding promptly to people who had activated their call bell alarm. People told us the care home was adequately staffed. One person said, “There always seems to be plenty of staff around who come as quickly as they can to help me whenever I call for assistance.” A relative added, “There seems to be very good continuity of staff here. My [family member] is cared for by the same regular carers who have got to know her well.”

Staff were well-trained to meet people’s individual needs, in line with their choices and preferences and encouraged to continually improve in their role. Staff received a mixture of e-learning and in-person practical and theoretical training. This was routinely refreshed as frequently as staff required it including, competency-based assessments[MP1][LW2]. The training of new staff included a comprehensive induction programme, which was mapped to the Care Certificate. The Care Certificate is an agreed set of standards that define the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of specific job roles in health and social care sectors. An external care professional told us, “The staff are superbly trained”, while another added, “From my experience staff seem well-trained and appear to understand my client’s needs and how they should be met.”

Staff had ongoing opportunities to reflect on their working practices and to identify any further training, learning or support they might need. Staff had regular individual and group meetings with their fellow peers and line managers.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

The provider had an in-house cleaning team who maintained high standards of cleanliness throughout the care home. We observed this team follow structured cleaning schedules to keep peoples rooms and the communal areas visibly clean and tidy. This was confirmed by people we contacted. One person told us, “The staff always keep this place as clean as a whistle. The home is immaculately clean and always smells so fresh.” An external care professional added, “The home always looks clean.”

Staff had received relevant infection control and food hygiene training and had access to resources and equipment to help them reduce the risk of infections spreading in the care home. We observed staff using correct personal protective equipment [PPE] when they were about to meet peoples intimate personal care needs. The provider’s infection prevention and control policy was current and reflected national guidance. An external care professional told us, “I have seen staff use personal protective equipment as and when they need to.”

The service made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. They involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

Medicines systems were well-organised and safely managed. Medicines stocks, balances and records showed people consistently received their prescribed medicines as and when they should. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened. People told us staff supported them to take their prescribed medicines as and when they should. A relative remarked, “Staff ensure all the correct medicines my [family member] is prescribed are administered as and when they should.”

Care plans included detailed guidance for staff about how people needed and preferred their medicines to be administered. Staff received relevant training and their competency to continue managing medicines safely was routinely assessed. This helped staff remain clear about their roles and responsibilities in relation to the safe management and administration of medicines. There were regular audits of medicines at the service. This included regular checks of staff’s practice to ensure they remained competent to administer and manage peoples prescribed medicines safely. Staff also reported having easy access to the providers medicines policies and the British National Formulary [BNF] on the care homes internal computer system. The BNF is a reference guide for healthcare professionals providing information on medicines and prescribing.