Newbus Middlesbrough

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 was the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated good. 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.

People told us the management team were open and wanted to provide a good service to them.

The staff and management team had a positive culture of learning and being open and transparent to improve the service being provided. One staff member said, “(Staff meetings) are monthly, if anything arises that needs urgent attention staff are called.”

The staff and management team had processes in place to support a positive culture of learning, and to support the service being open and transparent to improve the service being provided.

Safe systems were in place when people first started to use the service. People told us staff were flexible and provided care when it was needed.

Staff told us they provided quality care and had processes in place to support people with their health and care needs.

Healthcare professionals told us staff supported people well with safe practices being used. Any queries staff had, were supported by either the management team or health care professionals involved.

Processes were in place, including initial assessments, to ensure staff understood what care was required and this was constantly monitored.

People were protected from abuse. People and their relatives said it was a safe service. One person said, “They (staff) are amazing, they all know what they are doing and provide really good care. I am very confident in them.”

Staff had received training in safeguarding people from harm and told us they would have no hesitation in reporting any concerns.

Processes were in place to safeguard people. Policies and procedures were in place and staff received competency checks to ensure they supported people safely.

People and relatives told us they were involved with risk management. One relative said, “(Person) was getting frailer and falling a lot, so a commode was put in to reduce their risk of falls.”

Staff confirmed people were fully involved with risk management. One staff member said, “We talk to the client about the risk and discuss how best to manage the risk with them.”

Processes were in place to understand and manage risks so that care met the needs of people in a way that was safe and supportive and enabled them to do the things that mattered to them. Some risk assessments would benefit from more detail, and some needed to be updated. The provider was going to address this immediately.

People and their relatives thought the environment was kept safe by competent staff. One relative said, “The physio came and showed staff how to use the hoist and they are all great with it.”

Staff and managers told us the environment in which they worked was assessed for any risk and continually monitored. This included lone working risk assessments.

The service monitored the environment in which staff worked and risk assessed any issues arising to protect staff and people from harm. This included equipment staff used to support people, for example, with their mobility needs.

People and their relatives confirmed there were enough staff employed to meet their care and support needs. One relative said, “They (staff) never rush away and always take their time to care for him properly. They don’t watch the clock.”

Staff were well trained. One person said, “They are taught very well. They have been taught how to approach you and to ask all the right questions. Every visit they ask how you are and check that we feel well.” One relative said, “When my (person) came out of hospital, they couldn’t walk anymore, the physio came and showed staff how to use the hoist and they are all great with it.” Staff told us they went through a robust recruitment process and then received suitable training, induction and support. One staff member said, “Training was very good, because the things that were learnt are being applied in the job role.” Staff told us they went through a robust recruitment process and then received suitable training, induction, and support. One staff member said, “Training was very good, because the things that were learnt are being applied in the job role.”

Processes were in place to check the working practices of staff. Safe recruitment checks were conducted, including obtaining DBS checks and staff right to work in the UK. Staff rotas were in place to ensure all care calls were covered. The Home Office had investigated some concerns regarding sponsorship of staff from abroad. This was still in the process of being dealt with. The provider was collaborating with the local authority regarding this.

People and their relatives felt staff followed safe working practices in relation to infection control and no one raised any concerns.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. Staff had received training in infection, prevention and control and no person or relative raised concerns about poor practice.

Processes were in place in which the service assessed and managed the risk of infection. This included policies and procedures for infection prevention and control.

People and their relatives said that medicines were managed well. One relative said, “They (staff) do medication and change morphine patches every week. There have never been any problems.”

Staff had received training and had their competencies checked by the management team. However, the competency reviews for medicines had no defined frequency. This was going to be addressed by the management team.

Processes were in place to ensure the service managed medicines well. This included policies and procedures and quality assurance checks. The audits of medicines were under review after feedback given to further enhance this process.