Snowflake Healthcare 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 newly registered 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.

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. Staff told us they were encouraged and felt supported to raise any concerns and would proactively try to identify risks to people’s safety. Staff understood the importance of reporting and recording and told us there was a culture of transparency and openness. There was an ethos across the organisation for learning from where things went wrong and how the provider could prevent repeat occurrences of accidents, incidents and other concerns arising. The provider had updated their IT system after learning from a security incident.

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 required support from external agencies. Everyone we spoke with was positive about their experience. The provider worked in partnership with commissioners and hospital teams to support the safe discharge of people to their own home with a package of support and to avoid hospital admission. Assessment records evidenced people’s views were listened to and where a discharge to the provider was not always safe, the provider was proactive in sharing the concern with discharge teams for wider learning. The registered manager said, “We have been encouraged to take people from hospital but it’s been too short notice so we waited until we were more prepared”.

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 and with the relevant agencies. One person said, “I feel safe and secure both physically and psychologically”. Any safeguarding risks were clearly documented in people’s care records and prompt action was taken by the provider to reduce risks and to keep people safe.

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 were involved in their care planning and managing any risks. A relative told us they were confident staff knew how to care for their family member. We saw people and relatives had been involved in developing risk assessments and care plans. A relative told us regular care reviews were held. People’s care plans were written in consultation with them and with their consent. The management team recorded and monitored risks through their quality assurance process. People’s risks were reviewed and updated in their care plans and risk assessments as people's needs changed. One record demonstrated a care plan had been updated as a result of a fall.

The service detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Environmental risks were considered by the management team for all properties staff worked in as part of their initial assessment. Staff ensured equipment used in people’s own homes was safe. Regular checks were made on moving and handling equipment and health related equipment to ensure they could be safely used. Any concerns with equipment were reported to the management team or appropriate person for further action.

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 spoke positively about the staff. People told us and we saw, there was a consistent staff team supporting each person. Recruitment was robust and pre-employment checks were in place prior to an applicant commencing their employment. An induction was completed by all new staff m embers. Staff received regular training in line with their job role and staff were provided with additional information via staff meetings and supervision. Staff received regular support and supervision

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. People and their relatives confirmed staff had access to and used personal protective equipment (PPE) when required. The provider was effective in assessing and managing the risk of infection and followed local and national guidance to ensure people and staff were protected as much as possible. We saw information had been shared with staff and people relating to the current offer of COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. Staff were aware of good hygiene protocols, and we saw examples in care plans of how certain equipment should be cleaned and stored. Staff had received training in food hygiene and infection control.

The service 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. People spoke positively about the support they received with medicines management. Staff told us they felt well trained and confident to support people to receive their medicines safely. Staff received medication training, and their competency was checked to ensure they understood the requirements for the safe administration of medicines. The staff team were proactive at reporting any changes to people’s medicines promptly. Body charts were used to identify where topical creams (treatment of medical conditions) should be applied.