Home Instead Portsmouth

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 was 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. Accidents and untoward incidents were thoroughly investigated, used to inform any changes to the service, and the provider apologised when things went wrong.

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. An external health care professional told us, “I was fully involved as the professional seeking care for the patient.”

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. Staff and the provider understood how to recognise the signs and what to do if they suspected someone was at risk of abuse or neglect. The provider protected people’s liberties and rights under the Mental Capacity Act.

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’s risk assessments were regularly reviewed and updated when their care needs changed. Staff confirmed they had access to this information via the provider’s electronic care planning system.

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 provider understood who to contact should they feel people may benefit from additional aids or equipment which staff knew how to use.

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. A family member told us, “They [care staff] are very prompt and very well trained and seem to have a natural aptitude for people with dementia and we think that`s really important.”

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and understood how to share concerns with appropriate agencies when required. Staff followed guidelines for infection control to keep people safe and healthy. A person said, “They [care staff] wear gloves and wash their hands.”

Safe systems were in place and followed to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. Care staff and training records confirmed staff had received medication administration training and had their competency assessed on a regular basis.