Helping Hands Cramlington

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 is the first inspection for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

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.

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. A staff member commented “I have used the reporting system on the electronic app, I have received feedback after reporting.” Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. Another staff member told us, “We get feedback at staff meetings, it is a good forum for sharing information.”

The provider 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. Information was collected before people started to use the service, and information was prepared to ensure their needs could be met, if they moved elsewhere. The registered manager told us, “Communication passports would be used for customers who are at risk of being admitted to hospital and struggle to communicate their needs.” A person commented, “We had a meeting at the beginning, to find out about the service and the manager collected some details.”

The provider 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. A staff member told us, “I have had training and would report to the manager first.” A person commented, "I trust the staff and feel safe."

The registered manager had completed detailed risk assessments covering the areas of risk people may face and putting measures in place to mitigate those risks as far as possible. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. A staff member told us, “Records we need are on an App on our telephone, we have access to the information needed including any risk assessments.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

The registered manager made sure staff were qualified, skilled and experienced, and that they received effective support, supervision and development. However, improvements were needed to roster management to ensure there were sufficient staff who worked together to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. A staff member commented, “I have regular clients, so it is nice, get to know them.” However, other comments received showed improvements were needed to roster management to ensure all people received timely and consistent care from staff who knew them. Some relatives commented, “Lots of different staff upsets [Name]”, and “The times of calls keep changing. The office staff don’t always inform us, and this is what I mean by communication. [Name] is flexible with most calls, but in the morning, they want to be up early. Staff text but [Name] does not use text.” This was being addressed by the registered manager and improvements were being made as more staff were being recruited.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. Staff received training in infection control to make them aware of best practice. Personal protective equipment [PPE] was available to staff to reduce the risks of infections spreading.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. They involved people in planning, including when changes happened. The registered manager told us an electronic call monitoring system was in place and when rosters were being planned, time sensitive medication calls were restricted, so times of people’s calls could not be changed, without people’s consent. A relative commented, “Staff take it [medicines] out of the dosset box, hand it to [Name] and watch them taking it and log it on their telephone App.”