Ponsandane

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

The service was safe. Staff and managers knew how to protect people from harm and abuse. Risks had been identified, appropriately mitigated and staff understood how to support people safely. The service had sufficient numbers of experienced and skilled staff and all planned care shifts had been provided. The service had been successful in recruiting new staff and all necessary pre employment check had bene completed.

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.

We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

Care plans provided staff with clear guidance on the actions they should take to mitigate, identified risks in relation to people’s support needs. Staff told us their competence in relation to the use of equipment to meet people’s mobility needs was assessed and monitored by their mangers. All necessary environmental and utilities checks had been completed and firefighting equipment was well maintained. Staff knew how to respond to in the event of an emergency evacuation. Maintenance staff told us, “We do fire drills one a month, set of the alarm, observe the response, then ask question about how staff would respond to different issues.”

People know how to request support from staff using the call bell system. Staff provided support at an appropriate pace and with compassion.

Systems designed to protect people from abuse were effective and managers understood how to investigate and report any concerns in relation to people’s safety. Staff and managers responded promptly to call bells. This was further evidenced by a auditing system that monitored staff response times.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the staff team at Ponsandane. Their comments included, “The staff are very kind, caring and helpful” and “all the staff are absolutely perfect, extremely nice.”

Staff and managers understood how to support people when upset or anxious and provided reassurance with compassion. Appropriate plans had been developed in response to specific risks with input from relatives and professionals. Restrictive practices were not routinely used as staff were skilled at using distraction techniques and reassurance to help people manage their anxieties. Staff used equipment safely when needed to support people’s mobility. All lifting equipment was regularly tested and serviced to ensure if was safe for use.

Care plans provided staff with clear guidance on the actions they should take to mitigate identified risks in relation to people’s support needs. Staff told us their competence in relation to the use of equipment to meet people’s mobility needs was assessed and monitored by their mangers. All necessary environmental and utilities checks had been completed and firefighting equipment was well maintained. Staff knew how to respond to in the event of an emergency evacuation. Maintenance staff told us, “We do fire drills one a month, set of the alarm, observe the response, then ask question about how staff would respond to different issues.”

People were supported and encouraged to remain as independently mobile as possible. The service worked collaboratively with relatives to identify and mitigate risks to people’s wellbeing and safety. Relatives were supported and encouraged to retain responsibility for aspects of people’s care.

The service had systems in place to monitor and mitigate risks to people’s health and wellbeing. Risks to people’s skin integrity were regularly reviewed and staff understood how to mitigate these risks. There were systems in place to ensure people received their medicines as required. Where accidents or incident occurred, these had been investigated and any areas of learning or possible improvement identified and shared with staff. This minimised the risk of similar incidents reoccurring.

We did not look at Safe environments during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

The service was safely staffed, and records showed that planned staffing levels were routinely achieved. Agency staff were used when necessary to ensure sufficient staff were available to meet people’s needs. Managers told us “The service is well staffed” and that recent recruitment campaigns had been successful. Recently recruited staff were very complimentary of the quality of initial training they had received to ensure they had the skills necessary to meet people needs. Their comments included, "The training was 3 weeks, 2 weeks of shadowing and a week training in Truro. Then a couple of weeks later an assessment then more training" and “The training has been really good, way better than in the hospital even. You get paid for it if you do it at home. A lot better than the training from the agency's as well.” The provider’s recruitment practices were safe. Necessary pre-employment checks had been competed to ensure prospective staff were suitable for the care sector. The service had completed appropriate additional checks where references from recent employers in care were unavailable.

Staff told us the service was always fully staffed and that planned staffing levels were consistently achieved. Their comments included, “Generally it is pretty well staffed”, “We are quite good with staff now” and “Today staffing is about normal. It runs quite smoothly from what I have seen”.

People were complimentary of their care staff who responded positively and proactively to requests for assistance. People told us, “The staff are very kind, caring and helpful” and “I can’t get over how well I’m looked after here. I wasn’t doing well at home. I just use the bell to call the carers. It works well for me, they arrive quickly, but I know they’re busy. I’m impressed with the staff.”

On the day of the assessment visit there were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs. We observed staff supporting people to move around the service. They were patient and good humored in their approach.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Medicines optimisation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.