Helping Hands Kensington & Chelsea

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

There were enough, appropriately recruited staff, who met people’s needs, and provided them with a safe service. This meant people were supported to live in a safe way. Any risks to people were monitored, assessed, and recorded, by the office management team and staff. Accidents, incidents, and safeguarding concerns were appropriately reported, investigated, and recorded. Staff were trained to administer, prompt, and support people to take their medicines, as required. Staff followed infection control policies, and procedures.

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.

We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

People and their relatives said they felt safe using the service and the support people received was of the type, and quality they required. They told us staff understood how to keep them safe. People and their relatives knew how to raise any concerns they might have, and staff supported them to do so. They were confident that any concerns they raised would be appropriately investigated, and outcomes provided.

The registered manager, office management team, and staff provided positive feedback, concerning people receiving the type, and standard of care they required. Staff were supported to safeguard people from the risk of abuse, and relevant, up to date training was provided to achieve this. Staff understood how to recognise abuse, neglect, protect people from its different forms and to report any concerns to the management team. The provider understood their responsibility to refer safeguarding incidents to the relevant external agencies without delay, ensure they were fully investigated and to take appropriate proactive action to minimise the risk of similar incidents reoccuring.

The provider's safeguarding policy and processes were in line with current, and relevant legislation. Records showed safeguarding concerns were shared with the registered manager, and recorded, and reported in a timely way to the relevant external agencies. As appropriate, people, and those important to them were involved in this process, and informed about what action would be taken to keep people safe. Care plans, and risk assessments provided clear information and sufficient guidance to enable staff to keep people safe.

People and their relatives said there was a good standard of care provided. Risks to people’s safety were professionally managed, and without any unnecessary restrictions. People and their relatives said staff knew how to support people with known risks, that they were involved in planning the care they received, and how it was delivered. One relative said, “I have been 100% appropriately included in mum's care plan."

The registered manager, office management team, and staff feedback demonstrated that risks to people were safely managed, and staff received relevant training to help them keep people safe. Staff understood risks posed to people individually, and how they could reduce the risk of injury or harm.

People had risks to them assessed, and care plans put in place to help staff prevent or minimise the identified risks, wherever possible. This meant staff had up to date information, about the action they needed to take to manage these risks and keep people safe. The risks included supporting people with their mobility, and personal care. There were processes, and systems for staff to report concerns, incidents, and accidents. This enabled the registered manager and office management team to have oversight of and be able to manage risks. The management team completed regular audits, spot, and welfare checks, and care plans were updated when new risks were identified.

We did not look at Safe environments during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

People and their relatives said there were enough staff to meet their needs, who were kind, well-trained, and supported them in the way they wished, and needed. One relative told us, “[Person using the service] needs have been attended to with immediate and great effect, the caring, and support is certainly done with great dignity and respect.” Another relative said, “The carers [staff] are almost all of high quality, being kind and efficient with a helpful attitude. The agency manages the admin side very well particularly, the care co-ordinator who is always extremely helpful. They always keep us fully informed with a newsletter, and mum and the family feel fully involved in the planning of her care."

The registered manager, office management team, and staff feedback indicated enough staff were employed to support people with their care and support needs. The registered manager, and office management team, reviewed staffing levels regularly to make sure there were enough suitably skilled, and experienced staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Although staff received regular, relevant training to support them in their roles, some felt there was too great an emphasis towards online training, and more face to face training would not only improve their skills, but also contribute towards team bonding, and building. They said the training they received, helped them to deliver support and they were knowledgeable about the areas they received training in. The registered manager and inhouse trainer told us they were looking to increase face to face training sessions to not only maintain a good level of training but use the opportunity to embed staff feeling part of the team.

The staff duty rotas demonstrated that there were enough staff to meet people's needs safely. Pre-employment recruitment checks were completed prior to employment. This ensured only appropriate, and suitable staff were employed. This included checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) who provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. The rotas, and recruitment were included in the audit system. Supervision and appraisal records demonstrated that staff had regular supervision meetings and an annual appraisal of their overall work performance. A staff member said, “We have more recently been receiving supervision, although this was not always regularly in place as the [registered] manager had to cover another branch.” Another told us, “When I started, I was assessed by a supervisor to check if I was doing my job correctly and there hasn't been regular supervisor checkups."

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Medicines optimisation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.