Walsingham Support - London Supported Living

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. The rating has improved from requires improvement to good during this assessment. 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. The provider had taken action to ensure arrangements for managing people's money was clear and safe. Effective controls and procedures were in place to help minimise the risk of financial abuse.

This service scored 72 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

An effective system was in place to report, record and monitor incidents and accidents to help support people safely. There was a clear record of lessons learnt to help reduce reoccurrence. Lessons learnt were discussed in meetings and staff were encouraged to openly discuss and learn from each other.

Staff told us there was a good sense of teamwork and communication was good. Management and staff listened to all concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. There was a focus on learning and improving the service wherever possible. Staff were able to raise concerns outside of the management team to help prevent the development of a closed culture.

Staff and management worked with people, relatives and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. Staff made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

Care and support were planned and organised with people, together with partners and communities in ways that ensure continuity of safe care. People and relatives told us they had been part of their assessment planning process and had their needs assessed before they started receiving support. These assessments recorded important information essential for people’s safety so these could be shared with other healthcare partners if required.

Staff spoke confidently about the processes to report concerns and raise issues about people’s safety. They were also confident their concerns would be listened to and acted upon by management. A member of staff told us, “I have the support that I need. If there is anything I need, I can ask my colleague or management. I feel well supported.”

The service 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.

Potential risks to people’s safety were assessed appropriately and risk assessments included detailed measures in place to help reduce risks. People’s risk assessments included details of relevant risks, triggers and measures to help protect them. Risk assessments were comprehensive, and person centred.

Housing services carried out a fire alarm/emergency checks and monitored the premises to help ensure it was safe.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) were in place for each person. These provided details about people's mobility and medical conditions that could impact on their ability to leave the premises in the event of an emergency and guidance on how staff should support them.

Staff undertook a range of training to understand how to care for people safely.

The service 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.

Potential risks to people’s safety were assessed appropriately and risk assessments included detailed measures in place to help reduce risks. People’s risk assessments included details of relevant risks, triggers and measures to help protect them. Risk assessments were comprehensive, and person centred.

Housing services carried out a fire alarm/emergency checks and monitored the premises to help ensure it was safe.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) were in place for each person. These provided details about people's mobility and medical conditions that could impact on their ability to leave the premises in the event of an emergency and guidance on how staff should support them.

Staff undertook a range of training to understand how to care for people safely.

The service worked with the housing association to help maintain the premises appropriately. Where actions were required, the registered manager engaged with the housing association to help ensure these were completed. Since the previous inspection, we noted that various areas of the building requiring repair and attention had been addressed. However, there were some areas of the home that were in need of renovation. We discussed this with management who said that they were aware of this and they were having discussions with the housing association about this.

The provider identified and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They helped to ensure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The provider assessed people’s homes for risks and took action to ensure people, staff and visitors remained safe.

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.

Policies and procedures were in place to help recruit staff safely. Checks on the suitability of potential staff were completed. This included obtaining references and checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The DBS helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and help prevent unsuitable people from working in care services.

Records showed that staff had received training in areas relevant to their roles. Staff received regular supervision sessions which provided an opportunity for them to discuss their performance and professional development.

Staff we spoke with told us there were sufficient staffing numbers to safely meet people’s needs. Staff retention was good and people receive care and support from a consistent team of staff they were familiar with. The registered manager explained that since the previous inspection, the use of agency staff had been minimised to holiday periods.

People and relatives told us care staff followed infection control processes, including washing their hands, keeping people’s home’s clean and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Staff had completed training about infection prevention and control. Staff said they had enough PPE.

Infection prevention and control policies were in place. Staff were given the information and guidance they needed.

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

Medicines were safely managed and effective medicines management systems were in place. People's medicine support needs were documented in their care plans. We looked at a sample of these and found that the majority of these were completed fully indicating medicines were administered as prescribed.

Staff received training to administer medicines to help ensure they had the appropriate knowledge and skills to support people effectively.

Medicines in extra care settings should be stored in people's own flats in accordance with guidance. Medicines were stored in this way and people had a lockable cabinet in their room where they stored their medicines.

Where people were prescribed medicines on a when required basis (PRN), there were appropriate protocols in place to advise staff on what circumstances and how to give these medicines.