Partners4Care Limited

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 and we found the provider to be in breach of regulation because they had failed to ensure good governance around medicines management. At this assessment there had been improvement, the rating has changed to good and they were no longer in breach. 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 provider used an accident and incident tracker that recorded the number of incidents across the year and broke them down into categories. This was used to help track any patterns and trends across the year to minimise future risk. A member of staff told us, “I had a difficult experience with a person I was supporting. The manager was there to support and provided additional training so I could manage better should I come across this again.”

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.

A full assessment of people’s needs was undertaken before any new packages of care were started. The provider worked closely with a number of external agencies to ensure safe transitions and ongoing support. A relative told us, “[Staff] anticipate needs and keep [my relative] safe.”

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.

An annual safeguarding tracker was in use which made it simple to see if there were any trends emerging. Records showed that safeguarding concerns were appropriately escalated and investigated. Staff had received safeguarding training. We saw examples of actions being taken in response to safeguarding concerns to minimise future risk.

The provider understood their responsibilities where people were deprived of their liberty and ensured, when this was necessary, it was done lawfully and in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

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.

Risks relating to people were assessed and managed appropriately. Risk assessments about care were person-centred, proportionate, and regularly reviewed with the person or their representative.

Where people chose to take risks, staff did what they could to keep people safe whilst respecting their wishes. A staff member told us, “Where a person’s wishes conflict with safety requirements I would speak with the person, make sure they understood what the decision meant. I would speak with my supervisor for advice if needed.”

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

Care was delivered in people’s own homes and therefore the provider was not responsible for the upkeep of the environment. However, to keep people and staff safe, the provider carried out health and safety checks of people’s homes to check for any hazards and put measures in place to reduce any risks.

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.

The provider followed safe recruitment processes to ensure they employed the right people for the role. There was a consistent staff team working with people wherever possible and the provider was not using any agency staff.

Staff were happy with the training they received. A member of staff told us, “Training has been top notch. We have ongoing refresher courses and if training was needed, for example relating to a new person’s needs, we would be called to the office.”

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.

The provider had policies to prevent and control infections. Staff were given protective equipment, such as aprons and gloves. They had received infection control training and understood their responsibilities in managing infections.

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.

A sample of medicines records were audited every month. People had regular reviews of their medicines. When staff had concerns or queries, they liaised with medical professionals to ensure people’s needs were being met appropriately and changes were made where necessary. A member of staff told us, “I recently did some training on medicines and dealing with an emergency.”