Adina Home Care Services

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

There were systems to help make sure accidents, incidents, complaints, and safeguarding alerts were investigated and learnt from. The staff and provider worked with other agencies to help keep people safe. Risks to people's safety and wellbeing had been assessed and planned for. The provider supported people to have safe transitions between services. There were systems to help prevent and control infection. People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. There were enough staff to care for people. Staff were well trained and supported. There were systems to help make sure staff were suitable and competent.

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.

People using the service and their relatives knew how to make a complaint. Those who had raised concerns felt these had been responded to well and improvements had been made because of these. People told us they were involved in regular reviews and could discuss any changes they wanted.

Staff explained the agency helped them learn and improve practice when things went wrong. The registered manager told us they investigated all adverse events and had learnt from these. They gave an example about how they had improved record keeping following problems with the systems they had used. This had improved communication with staff, people using the service and relatives.

There were processes for investigating, analysing, and responding to accidents, incidents, complaints, and safeguarding alerts. The provider used learning from these and feedback from stakeholders to help create improvement plans. They shared this learning with staff to help make sure changes were embedded across the organisation.

The registered manager told us they worked closely with hospital discharge teams to provide short notice care and support for people leaving hospital. Sometimes this care was on a short-term basis because people were moving between services. The local authority contacted them to arrange emergency care when people needed additional support, or their current care provider could not manage their needs.

The provider worked closely with external teams. A local authority commissioner told us, ''[Adina Home Care] have delivered care for some of our most complex families and stabilised care packages.'' The provider had received other positive feedback from stakeholders.

The provider carried out thorough assessments with other healthcare professionals and shared information to help ensure safe transition between services.

People using the service and their relatives felt safely cared for.

Staff had undertaken training about safeguarding adults and children from abuse. They understood what to do if they had concerns about a person's safety.

There were suitable procedures for safeguarding people. These had been followed. The provider had worked with others, including the local safeguarding authority, to report and investigate concerns; and to help keep people safe.

People using the service and their relatives felt risks were well managed. One relative praised a member of staff who helped perform first aid in an emergency, whilst they waited for an ambulance. Their actions had saved the person's life. People told us they thought staff were well trained to keep people safe. One person said, ''I am very happy with them.''

Staff had training to help understand about best practice when supporting people to move, with eating and drinking, looking after their skin and using equipment. The staff told us this training had helped them in their roles. The registered manager explained staff had received training to understand how to de-escalate situations when people became agitated or aggressive. The staff did not use any form of physical restraint.

The provider had assessed risks to people's safety and wellbeing. The assessments included plans about how they could support people and reduce risks. These were clear, included personalised information and had been regularly updated and reviewed.

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

People using the service and their relatives told us staff arrived on time and did not rush them. They felt the staff understood their needs and were cared for by the same regular staff. People also told us that when they had requested a change of care worker, this had been actioned. Their comments included, ''I know the carers who come to see me even when my regular carer is on holiday'', ''The system works well'' and ''The company gives them a lot of training and they know what they are doing.''

Staff told us they undertook a range of useful training. They felt supported and were confident they could ask for help if needed.

There were enough staff to care for people and keep them safe. The provider did not take on new care packages unless they could meet people's needs. The provider used an electronic call monitoring system to help make sure staff arrived on time and to take action to mitigate any risks if staff were delayed. There were suitable systems for recruiting staff which included a range of checks, an induction and assessments of their skills and competencies. All the staff had regular training to help them understand about their roles. This included training about autism and people with a learning disability as well as health conditions which people experienced.

People told us staff wore gloves, aprons, and other personal protective equipment (PPE). They said staff washed their hands and followed good hygiene practices.

Staff explained they had undertaken training about infection prevention and control. They had enough PPE.

There were suitable procedures in place to help prevent and control infection. The registered manager and senior staff carried out spot checks to make sure staff followed best practice.

People told us they received their medicines safely and as prescribed. Their comments included, ''They remind me to take my medicines'', ''I am very happy with how this is done'' and ''They wait for me to do it myself, they are patient and help when needed.''

Staff had undertaken training about the safe handling of medicines. The registered manager gave us examples about positive support they had given people with their medicines, including working with people, their families and health professionals to make sure people received the right medicines, that these were reviewed, and that administration was personalised.

Care records included information about people's medicines and any risks associated with these. Staff kept records to show when they had administered medicines. The management team audited these and to check staff were following procedures.