- Homecare service
Supreme Care Services Limited
Report from 19 November 2024 assessment
Contents
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
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At this inspection we rated this key question as good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm. People received a safe service, were protected from abuse or neglect and had their human rights promoted. Staff and managers understood the reporting procedure for any safeguarding concerns or allegations. Risks to people were assessed and their safety was monitored and managed, with minimal restrictions on their freedom. Accidents and incidents were monitored and analysed, so lessons could be learned, and recurrences could be avoided. The service established solid relationships with healthcare professionals to help maintain people’s safety. The service followed robust recruitment procedures and there were enough suitably trained staff employed to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. Staff completed a wide and comprehensive training programme that helped them carry out their work safely. Staff supported people to manage their medicines safely where required. Regular medicines audits were completed, staff were trained and their competency was checked at regular intervals. We did not assess all the quality statements within this key question, as we did not identify concerns relating to those areas which we judged as being met at our last inspection.
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.
Learning culture
We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.
Safe systems, pathways and transitions
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.
Safeguarding
People told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them at home. Comments included: “Staff know what they are doing, they use the hoist safely for my [family member].” “Oh yes, they know what they are doing and we have a nice chat.” A relative added, “My [family member] is looked after well and kept safe by all the care staff who regularly come and support us.”
The registered manager and senior office-based staff all supported the fieldwork care staff to protect people from abuse. Staff received safeguarding adults training as part of their induction which staff confirmed was routinely refreshed. Staff 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, “I did a refresher training course recently and I know what to do if anyone I look after is being harmed. I would report this immediately to my manager.” Another member of staff added, “I would inform the manager, however if there was a more serious risk to life or limb, I would contact the police or emergency services immediately, I’ve just done the training.”
Staff were routinely reminded about their safeguarding roles and responsibilities at individual supervision sessions and team meetings. The office-based managers understood their responsibility to immediately refer any safeguarding incidents or concerns to external agencies and bodies including, the relevant local authority, the Care Quality Commission, and where necessary, the police. There was in place a safeguarding and whistleblowing policy which set out the types of abuse staff may encounter, how to raise concerns and when to refer to the local authority. Staff confirmed that they had read the policies as part of their induction and training. Staff received training in equality and diversity awareness to ensure they understood the importance of protecting people from all types of discrimination. The provider had an equalities statement, which recognised their commitment as an employer and provider of services to promote the human rights and inclusion of people and staff who may have experienced discrimination due to their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or age.
Involving people to manage risks
We did not look at Involving people to manage risks during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.
Safe environments
We did not look at Safe environments during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.
Safe and effective staffing
People told us staff who supported them were usually on time now. They said this had improved and the office always let them know if their carers were running late. People and their relatives said staff carried out all the tasks that they needed and that were in their care plans. Comments included: “Oh yes, my carers come on time and do everything they’re meant to and they will do other things if I ask them and if they have enough time left in the visit.” A relative added, “Yes, no problem, they come on time mostly. They let us know if they’re running late, the staff complete all the tasks they’ve been asked to do.” People told us they liked it best when they were supported by regular staff who were familiar with their personal care needs, preferences and daily routines. A person said, “I now have the same staff nearly every day. I much prefer that.” A relative added, “Sometimes we do get different carers but most of the time my [family member] gets the regular ones and she prefers this.” People spoke well about the knowledge and skills of the care staff and said they were supportive, kind and friendly. Comments from relatives included “Staff do know what they are doing, they seem to be well-trained and know what to do.” “My [family member] is very well looked after. He gets on really well with his carer.” People commented on improvements made to do with missed or late calls. They told us most of their calls now were on time or if they were not they were kept informed by the office and the usual reason was due to bad traffic or poor public transport issues.
Staff told us their call visits were arranged by the care coordinators in the office who used a new IT system that had made a positive improvement to late and missed calls. When asked staff commented; “I usually have enough time to attend my calls on time and to complete all the tasks I need too.” “My calls are arranged well geographically, so this gives me enough time to complete all my tasks and get to my next call on time.” The training programme staff received was extensive and covered the necessary areas of their work. It was regularly refreshed to ensure staff’s knowledge and skills remained up to date. Staff demonstrated good awareness of their working roles and responsibilities. Comments from staff included, “We are trained at our induction and this is before we start working with people. Then we are expected to keep on refreshing our training regularly.” “I have completed all my mandatory training and the refresher training.” “The training we receive is always useful and helps me to do my job properly.” A training matrix was in place that evidenced staff received all the training referred to above. Accident and incident reporting processes were in place, understood by staff and maintained to date.
There was evidence of robust recruitment procedures. All potential staff were required to complete an application form and attend an interview, so their knowledge, skills and values could be assessed. The provider undertook checks on new staff before they started work. This included checking their identity, their eligibility to work in the UK, obtaining at least two references from previous employers and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. The DBS helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable people. There were systems in place to review staffing levels against people’s dependency, these were reviewed regularly and in line with people’s changing needs. Staff told us they received support through supervision. This included one to one meetings and team meetings. The registered manager showed us a new supervision matrix that set out regular six to eight weekly individual supervision for individual staff members. This was recently introduced together with a new supervision format which set out the agenda for supervision meetings and included the direct work staff undertook with people. These measures should ensure staff have the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and support.
Infection prevention and control
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.
Medicines optimisation
People and their relatives told us their health needs were well met and as far as they were aware there had been no issues or problems with people receiving their medicines. Comments included, “Yes we trust them, they know what to do, there’s no fuss”, “It’s part of the routine they do very well.”
Staff told us they had received medicines training and their knowledge of the policies and procedures to do with the safe administration of medicines was assessed by the registered manager before they were able to administer medicines. We saw records that showed staff received medicines training and that there were regular audits of medicines to help to ensure the safe management of medicines. The registered manager told us they monitored staff competencies to ensure quality standards were maintained.
There was an appropriate policy and procedure in place for staff to follow to do with the safe administration of medicines. We saw evidence that staff were required to read and follow the policy. Staff competencies were monitored regularly and quality assurance ‘spot checks’ made by senior staff also monitored the safe administration of medicines to people. People's medicines were managed so they received them safely. We found there were appropriate arrangements in place in relation to obtaining, storing, administering and the recording of medicines which helped to ensure they were given to people safely.