Care Outcomes UK Ltd, a domiciliary care provider in Boldon Colliery, was rated Good overall following an unannounced inspection on 23 March 2023, with only the Safe and Well-led key questions directly inspected. The service demonstrated strong leadership, safe medication and recruitment practices, effective governance, and a positive person-centred culture with no failures identified.
Strengths
· Staff were safely recruited with DBS checks and references, and staffing levels were regularly reviewed against people's support needs.
· Medicines were managed safely with regular competency assessments for staff.
· Effective quality assurance system with regular audits covering care plans, supervisions, environmental risk assessments, rostering and welfare checks.
· Positive staff culture with high levels of staff satisfaction and confidence in management.
· Innovation such as the 'Purple Bag Scheme' to facilitate smoother hospital handovers and the 'Rainbow Award' to recognise staff.
Quality-Statement breakdown (11)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive, and empoweringGood
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourGood
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood
well-led: Working in partnership with others and continuous learning and improving careGood