The CQC will want to know that your environment is safe. This applies to both residential care environments, as well as protecting people as much as possible in their own homes. It also extends to the safety of equipment too.
In residential services, CQC inspectors will look at the communal areas and people’s rooms to ensure that these are being safely maintained. Inspectors will want to know how you are involving the people you support in decisions about the environment they live in and potentially the grounds of a residential home.
There may be some inspection crossover here with your Infection, prevention and control approach and safety measures related to food and hydration and storage of hazardous substances. The CQC may also look at how you mitigate environment risks too.
For people living in their own homes, carers play an important role in identifying hazards and helping people to keep as safe as possible. This is not about limiting their independence, but it is about protecting them from avoidable harm. Community-based services will also need to demonstrate how you support your staff to stay safe when working alone.
The CQC inspector focus is not just limited to the environment either. Inspectors will want to know about how you protect people from harm using safe equipment, including any technology and others aids that you use to deliver care.
It is important to ensure any equipment you use is safely maintained and staff are effectively trained to use it. Build in safety checks into your quality and compliance and ensure you can evidence when these were done and what action was taken if needed.
As part of the inspection, the CQC are likely to speak with people about how you protect them on these matters, as well as view documented evidence from safety checks, consultations, quality assurance, training etc.
To learn more about how your service can be best prepared for this area of CQC inspection, look at the recommendations, examples, and resources available in GO Online.
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