Managing risks: outstanding

S2. How are risks to people assessed and their safety monitored and managed so they are supported to stay safe and their freedom is respected?

Characteristics of services we would rate as outstanding in this area

There is a transparent and open culture that encourages creative thinking in relation to people's safety. The service seeks out current best practice and uses learning from this to drive improvement for all people, including those with particular protected equality characteristics. People are enabled to take positive risks to maximise their control over their care and support. They are also actively involved in managing their own risks along with their relatives, friends and other carers.

There is a comprehensive 'safety management system', which takes account of current best practice models. This helps the service to sustain outstanding practice and improvements over time.

Staff, people and their relatives, friends and other carers are engaged in reviewing and improving systems. Innovation is encouraged to achieve sustained improvements in safety and continual reductions in harm.

Staff show empathy and have an enabling attitude that encourages people to challenge themselves, while recognising and respecting their lifestyle choices. The service helps people to have a full and meaningful life by using imaginative or innovative ways to manage risk, while supporting people to stay safe. It helps people to make decisions that may have elements of risk, by sharing information about risk in imaginative or innovative ways to help inform choice and control.

The service actively seeks out new technology and other solutions to make sure that people live with as few restrictions as possible.

Learning is based on a thorough analysis and investigation of things that go wrong. All staff are encouraged to participate and apply learning to improve safety as much as possible to reduce risks of harm to people using the service. This includes participating in any relevant local and national safety programmes.

The service proactively engages with people and other organisations to assess and minimise risks to the environment, premises and equipment and it anticipates issues. It does so innovatively and mitigates risk creatively to maximise people’s autonomy and independence.

People are provided with a range of accessible information about how to keep themselves safe and how to report any issues of concern. This information is on prominent display and is easily accessible.