Kensington Community Care Shropshire

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 inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has changed to 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.

The service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. People and relatives told us the staff and the management team listened to them and responded appropriately. For example, 1 relative said they didn’t feel confident with the actions of 1 staff member. They spoke to the management team who investigated, and changes were made. They went on to say they were very content with the actions of the management team in learning from this situation. The management team had effective systems in place to improve staff performance including, but not limited to, disciplinary and retraining processes if needed.

The service 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. Not everyone receiving care from the provider needed staff or management to support them accessing additional healthcare as they could often do this for themselves. However, when it was needed, staff supported people to contact other healthcare providers and ensured the right information was passed to the right person to ensure safe care continued between all those involved. One relative stated the carers monitored their family member’s skin condition and reported any changes. This supported them to access the right healthcare services to prevent a deterioration in wellbeing which they found to be reassuring.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They 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 service shared concerns quickly and appropriately. All those we spoke with told us they felt safe with the staff supporting them. Staff members had been trained in identifying abuse and ill treatment and knew what to do if they suspected wrongdoing. The management team worked proactively with the local authority and the police to ensure people were safeguarded from abuse and ill treatment. Information was shared in a timely way and the staff followed intervention plans to ensure people remained safe in their own homes.

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. People told us they were involved in assessments of risk associated with their care and support. For example, people had assessments associated with the risk of trips or falls, mobility, diet and nutrition. When there were risks, people were supported to access additional services, for example, physiotherapy assessments.

The service detected and controlled potential risks. They made sure equipment supported the delivery of safe care. People and relatives were involved in completing an environmental risk assessment when Kensington Community Care Shropshire began providing services for them. This included access to their property and recording emergency contact information. For example, electricity and water suppliers in case of an emergency. People remained responsible for adaptations to their own property.

The service 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. People and relatives told us staff arrived as expected and stayed for the agreed amount of time. One person said, “The staff are normally not too bad on timing and, for example, on New Year's Day they phoned me to say that they would be a little bit late but that was because of the weather.” The management team monitored call times to ensure staff arrived when expected. If there was any deviation in the expected call times the management team were alerted and took positive action to ensure people received timely care.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. The provider had policies and practices in place which supported effective infection prevention and control practices. People were supported by staff who had received training in infection prevention and control and knew how best to support them in a safe way. One person said, “The staff always wear personal protection equipment like gloves and aprons and they dispose of them when they have been used.”

Not everyone who received a service required support with their medicines. When they did the provider made sure medicines were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. They involved people in planning, including when changes happened. People received support with their medicines from a trained and competent staff team. One person said, “The chemist puts my tablets into a box for me and the carers check that I've taken them properly.” The management team completed regular checks to ensure people received their medicines on time and in a safe way. They took action if they identified any issues or discrepancies. For example, contacting GP or the NHS 111 for non-emergency advice and guidance.