Be Caring Tyneside, a large domiciliary and supported living agency, was rated Good overall but Requires Improvement in Safe due to incomplete risk assessments, late or shortened calls and weak oversight of staff COVID-19 testing. Medicines, safeguarding, recruitment, caring practice and leadership were positive, with quality assurance systems in place but not yet identifying all shortfalls.
Concerns (8)
moderate
Care planning
: “Some risk assessments, related to the homecare service, were also either missing or did not contain sufficient information about how to keep people safe.”
moderateInfection control: “The provider did not have effective oversight of the Covid-19 testing arrangements for care staff and could not provide reassurance staff consistently followed guidance.”
moderateMissed or late visits: “People receiving a homecare service did not always receive their support on time or for the planned duration, with many care calls being late or shorter than planned.”
moderateStaffing levels: “in October 2021 51% of calls were planned without travel time between them. This meant if staff stayed for the full length of the call, they would be late for the subsequent call.”
moderateGovernance: “these systems had not identified some shortfalls relating to risk assessments relating to the homecare service. The provider accepted these needed addressing immediately.”
minorSupervision / appraisal: “Although most staff said they felt supported, a small number told us they didn't feel supported. This was consistent with the findings from the last staff survey.”
minorConsent / capacity: “Some people had weight charts and/or food and fluid charts. However, consent arrangements and the rationale for having these were unclear.”
minorComplaints handling: “it wasn't always clear from the analysis the subject of the complaint made.”
Strengths
· Medicines were managed safely and people usually received them on time
· Robust and safe staff recruitment practices
· Safeguarding concerns were reported, referred and investigated appropriately
· Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect, fostering positive relationships
· Personalised care planning with holistic information for staff
Quality-Statement breakdown (23)
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementRequires improvement
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionRequires improvement
safe: Staffing and recruitmentRequires improvement
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies; supporting people to access healthcare servicesGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
responsive: Planning personalised care to ensure people have choice and control and to meet their needs and preferencesGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Supporting people to develop and maintain relationships and follow interestsGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Continuous learning and improving care; managers and staff understanding quality, risks and regulatory requirements; promoting a positive person-centred cultureGood
well-led: Working in partnership with othersGood
well-led: Duty of candourGood
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffGood