Alina Homecare- Epping and Loughton

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 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. Leaders shared learning in staff meetings and across the wider organisation to ensure actions were taken promptly to minimise future risks. Leaders shared feedback from other health and social care professionals to identify any areas of learning and drive improvements.

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. The service worked well with other professionals, ensuring relevant information was shared when required to support people’s needs.

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. People, relatives and staff had access to information about how to raise concerns. They told us they felt confident concerns would be acted upon. One relative said, “We would have no problems in talking with [registered manager] straightaway.” Safeguarding concerns were investigated and safeguarding notifications were raised appropriately with the relevant authorities.

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 felt safe when being supported. Comments included, “The carers are not allowed to come in on their own, unless they are fully trained beforehand” and “[Person] is happy and safe with them.” Staff had access to information about risks to people’s health and safety and had received training in understanding the risks associated with people’s health needs.

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

The service made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. Staff told us they had received a comprehensive induction and relevant training. Comments included, “The induction was good, I was shown step by step how to do things and I shadowed the regular carers” and “The induction and training gave me all the information I needed and the shadowing was really good.” Staff worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. People spoke positively about the continuity of their care. People received their care at times which suited them and they were supported by a small, consistent staff team. The service had a recruitment policy and process in place to ensure staff were employed safely.

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. The service had an infection prevention and control policy in place for staff to follow and relevant training was in place to support staff to follow good hygiene practices.

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. Staff had received medicines training and had their competency checked prior to administering any medicines. The registered manager told us, “New staff work alongside more experienced staff until they have their competency checked and we make sure they are confident before administering medicines.” Leaders completed regular spot checks and audits to monitor the safe management of medicines.