Way Ahead Care LTD

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 assessment for this service at their new registered address. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

People were kept safe. Staff followed the provider’s procedure to record all accidents and incidents. These were reviewed and actions required undertaken.

Staff completed training in relation to safeguarding and were confident concerns would be acted upon.

Staff worked with people to understand and manage risks and involved them in thinking about what was a risk to them whilst maintaining their independence. The management team and staff worked well with the local authority and other professionals including GP's, district nurses and social workers in order to support people’s needs.

People received support with their medicines as required.

The provider had a robust recruitment process. Staff were well supported and received regular training, supervision and support.

Staff confirmed they had completed training for infection prevention and control and had access to enough personal protective equipment (PPE).

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 provider investigated and reviewed incidents and accidents. An electronic quality monitoring system was used on which staff recorded accident, incidents and near misses. One staff member told us, “Firstly, we fill up the care plan, secondly we report it to the scheme manager, then we fill up the incident form and handover book.” Another said, “In case of accidents and incidents, apart from reporting to office, I am required to fill the care diary and a detailed incident or accident form.”

All entries on the provider’s system were reviewed by the management team and actions required recorded. All entries when completed were reviewed by the registered manager and signed off when they were satisfied everything had been completed.

People and relatives told us they knew how to raise a concern and, if they had any questions, they were responded to.

The provider supported people to transition into receiving support in their own homes or in the extra care schemes.

For people going into hospital, the provider used recognised guidance called, ‘The green bag guidance’ to enable a safe, effective transition with their medicines. A person’s medicines are sent with the person and when they are discharged from hospital these are returned with them with a discharge summary and medicines.

When people were being discharged from hospital, staff completed the provider’s discharge from hospital form. This assessed the person’s needs to ensure any changes were identified and action taken to ensure all needs were met.

The registered manager told us they worked well with other agencies. For example, the community nurse teams, speech and language teams (SALT), Extra Care Housing champions and the local authority quality assurance officer.

The provider had a process to report and investigate any concerns related to the care being provided.

People and relatives told us they felt safe/or their family member was safe when they received support. People’s comments included, “I feel 150% safe with my carers. They come on time and have never missed a visit. They are brilliant” and “Yes, they make me feel safe.” A relative said, “I do feel he is very safe with his carers.”

Staff had access to the provider’s safeguarding policy and had completed training in relation to safeguarding. Staff were knowledgeable of the different types of abuse, who they should report any concerns to and were confident action would be taken. Staff were able to tell us about agencies outside their organisation they would report to such as the local authority or the CQC (Care Quality Commission).

Staff comments included, “I would firstly report to my scheme manager. If nothing is done, then I will report it to the office. I am always listened to whenever I make a report”, “Yes, we get safeguarding training and the things I would report are physical, domestic, financial and sexual abuse, neglect, self-neglect” and “I have recently been on safeguarding course. I would use the whistle blowing policy and report to the manager. If nothing gets done [report to] CQC.”

The registered manager ensured the local authority and CQC were made aware of any safeguarding concerns. They carried out investigations and identified any actions required to reduce the risk of recurrence. Any learning was shared with staff on the provider’s staff portal.

All staff had completed mental capacity training. As part of staff induction, the provider’s training team had covered mental capacity across multiple areas of training including manual handling, personal care and record keeping. This meant staff had knowledge how the mental capacity impacted all areas of their support to people.

People’s risks associated to their health and wellbeing were identified and care plans developed.

People and relatives felt their family members care needs were being met, they were safe, and staff responded quickly if there was a change in their support needs.

Care plans and risk assessments were detailed, and staff were knowledgeable about the types of risks for each person they supported. Staff told us these were changed if there were any changes in people’s support needs.

Staff worked with people to understand and manage risks. People were involved in thinking about what was a risk to them whilst maintaining their independence. The provider had a support team in place to take people out in the community and they were able to take positive risks. For example, supporting them to manage their finances, eating out and making their own decisions.

Staff carried out risk assessments to indicate if there were any risks in people’s home environment for the person or to the staff providing support.

In the extra care housing schemes, staff worked with the housing provider to ensure people were safe. For example, health and safety checks were completed twice a day.

The provider had a business continuity plan in place to ensure all services would continue in the event of an emergency.

The provider ensured there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development.

We received mixed feedback from people and relatives about staff arrival times and if staff were running late, they were contacted. Comments included, “They don’t always come on time, and I don’t always have the same carers but if they are late, they ring me” and “The times do depend on traffic, staff sickness etc but 50% of the time they do come when they should.” The registered manager showed us how they monitored people’s visits to ensure they were not missed and their process to let people know if there were any changes.

The provider had a robust recruitment process. Agency staff completed the provider’s induction process and a checklist was completed.

Staff confirmed they had regular supervision meetings, an annual appraisal, spot checks and annual refresher training.

New staff completed an induction, a range of face-to-face training including the care certificate and shadowed experienced staff.

Staff comments included, “Training is very good, always had good training. I did the care certificate. If you don’t go to the training you’re not allowed to work” and “The training has helped and supported me within my role. I have had observations carried out on me to ensure I am following policy and procedures- I can contact the training team for any support- at any time.”

People and relatives said they felt staff had the skills needed to provide safe and appropriate care. One person told us, “I definitely have no complaints with this agency. They are 100% better than the last lot and so much better trained.”

A social care professional told us, “Way Ahead staff are not just following the normal training required of a care team, they also have as much specialist training as is required in their role. There is no uncertainty about taking staff off rota if they are not adequately trained."

The provider had an infection prevention and control policy, and all staff had completed food hygiene training. Staff confirmed they had completed training for infection prevention and control and had access to enough personal protective equipment (PPE). People and relatives confirmed that staff used PPE, including gloves and aprons, when providing care to their family member.

The management team undertook regular staff spot checks to ensure staff used PPE appropriately and had good hand hygiene.

People raised no concerns about infection control practices. One person told us, “They do meals for me in the microwave and wash hands first and they give me my meds (medicines) and that is all recorded. Everything is written down, they are always writing.”

Staff comments included, “ We can turn up at the office and ask for PPE and they will get it, or they ask you to help yourself”, “Yes, PPE is readily available” and “I have full access to PPE within the extra care housing scheme and I am aware of, if we need more supplies who to contact and these are delivered promptly."

People received support with their medicines as required. Staff confirmed they had completed training on the administration of medicines, and they felt confident when supporting people. The provider carried out staff competency assessments before staff administered medicines and assessed their competence and knowledge annually. Staff completed medicines refresher training every 3 years.

Staff were confident about what process they would follow if somebody refused their medicines. Comments included, “Encourage them to take their medicine. If service users still refused, we then put the medication in a brown envelope, record it in their care plans, communication book and fill out a medication incident form. We then we need to inform the office.”



Staff had access to the provider’s medication policy and a quarterly newsletter called, ‘The Prescription.’ This had key information and updates about trends and articles about best practice in these areas.

Where people had a specific medical condition that required skilled staff to administer medicines, training had been sought and completed by the staff supporting the person.

People raised no concerns about how their medicines were managed. Comments included, “They give me my meds (medicines) all on time, I do know that” and “They are a godsend to me. They are good and properly trained and they give me my meds. That is all written up properly and I get them at the proper times.

The provider had a process to monitor and review medicine errors and staff completed reflective accounts to help their learning and identify any training needs.

The registered manager is the medicines lead for the service and attends quarterly medicines forums to discuss/ highlight themes and trends.