Profad Care Agency Limited

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 assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

People felt safe receiving support. Staff knew how to keep people safe from harm and abuse, incidents were reported. Records were completed, up to date and accurate. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. Systems were in place to recruit staff safely. Staff had received relevant training in relation to their roles. People’s medicines were managed safely and properly.

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. Staff listened to concerns about safety and reported any safety events back. Systems were in place to record accidents and incidents; these were reviewed monthly and leaders outlined actions which had been taken. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. Systems and processes were in place to ensure they received the necessary care assessment information before a person received their care. People had individual care plans and risk assessments in place. Positive links with external community healthcare services were maintained. The views of people, and their relatives if appropriate, were included as part of the referral and risk assessment. This involvement was then continued through the care plan review process and was evidenced in people’s care records.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Safeguarding systems and processes were in place to ensure people were protected from abuse and neglect. Leaders shared concerns quickly and appropriately. People told us they felt safe using the service, this was further evidenced in people’s care records where staff actions were recorded.

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. People’s care plans and risk assessments evidenced that they were, as far as possible, involved in deciding how they wanted to be supported to manage their individual risks. Care records captured personalised information on how best to support the person. For example, one person shared how important it was for their relative to develop good relationships to achieve objectives, which could be refused with new or unfamiliar staff. They confirmed they had been involved in discussions about how they would be supported.

The service detected and controlled potential risks in the home care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care and updated care staff when there were any changes. The auditing of risk assessments, care plan and reviews was completed and further audited by senior leaders.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked well together to provide safe, good quality care that met people’s individual needs. The service had a relatively stable staff team with a low staff turnover. One person shared the improvements in communication, “We know who it is that’s coming and when”. Staff had received training, which was appropriate and relevant to their role, including regular supervision and competency checks.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. Staff received training in infection prevention and control and how to put this into practice and confirmed provisions were made, especially in relation to personal protective equipment (PPE).

Medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff ensured key updates were made to medicine and care records; including when any changes happened. Medicines were given as prescribed by a trained and competent staff team. Medicines which were being given as required, had clear protocols in place to guide staff as to how and when these should be administered. Body maps were in place to guide staff on where any topical creams were to be applied. Audits were now effective in relation to the monitoring and oversight of medicines being administered.