Master One Care

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 provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Care staff were aware of their role in ensuring people’s safety was promoted and how to support them if an incident occurred. A care worker told us, “If I have any safety concerns, then I immediately call the office and ring the ambulance and I stay with the client until they arrive.” Processes were in place to ensure lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

There were safe systems and pathways in place to ensure people transitioned to the service safely. This included meeting with people and their relatives and obtaining information about their needs and how they wished their care to be delivered.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff 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 provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately. Care workers were aware of their role in safeguarding people from avoidable harm. They told us, “I would always contact my manager if I have any safeguarding concerns and we document [those concerns].” People and their relatives told us they felt safe with their care workers. They said, “No concerns about safety,” and “Certainly feel safe.”

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. People were aware of the risks to their health and safety, and relatives told us staff supported them safely. The management team assessed risks to people’s safety and provided staff with information about how to mitigate and manage those risks. Staff were aware of what people were able to do for themselves whilst managing risks to their safety. A care worker told us, “One client can get up and walk by herself but she wants to hold on to me, which she doesn’t really need. I try and get her to do a little bit by herself and then she walks the rest with me. She just needs more confidence, and I try to give this to them.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment supported the delivery of safe care. A relative told us, “[Their family member] has a pressure mattress and cushion. [Their care worker] automatically checks it’s all working ok.”

The provider 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. Safe recruitment practices were in place to ensure suitable staff were employed. People confirmed they received care from a consistent team of care workers who had the knowledge and skills to provide them with safe care. One person said, “I’m very happy with my care workers. They are very good.” Staff rotas were planned in advance with enough travel time to enable staff to get to people’s homes at the agreed time. People and their relatives confirmed staff stayed the required length of time to provide care and support without them feeling rushed. Staff completed regular training to ensure they were up to date with best practice. The registered manager was a registered trainer and was able to provide practical training to their staff. One care worker told us, “Any training I want I can say to [the management team], say for example catheter training, then she puts it on the system for me or I can come into the office and complete it. If I need [training] then I can ask for it.” Staff felt well supported and had access to regular supervision. During our assessment we saw if any areas of development were identified through the provider’s spot check system, this was followed up during supervision sessions to ensure the staff member was supported to improve and develop their knowledge and skills.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. Staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when supporting people and adhered to the provider’s infection prevention and control policy. One person told us, “[Their care worker] wears PPE and 100% tidies up after herself.”

The provider made sure that medicines were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff provided varying levels of support to people depending on their needs. If required, staff were able to support people with managing their medicines and accurate records were maintained of the medicines administered. If someone refused a medicine the reason why was recorded on the electronic medicine administration record. Protocols were in place to inform staff about when and how to support people with their ‘when required’ medicines, such as topical creams and pain relief.