Safe
Protecting people from avoidable harm: safeguarding, medication, incidents, infection, risk.
What this Safe covers
The Safe Key Question asks: Are people protected from abuse and avoidable harm? It covers safeguarding, medicines management, incident prevention, infection control, falls, and risk management. It is the most commonly cited area in CQC enforcement.
Evidence requirements
| Area | What inspectors look for |
|---|---|
| Safeguarding | Policy current; team trained; Local Authority safeguarding referrals logged. |
| Medication management | Monthly audit; MAR chart complete; controlled drugs compliant. |
| Incident & near-miss | Logged within 24h; root cause analysis for serious events. |
| Infection prevention | IPC audit; PPE stock; hand-hygiene training current. |
| Falls prevention | Risk assessed; falls plan; post-fall protocol. |
| Risk management | Dynamic risk assessments; updated after incidents. |
Common pitfalls
- No follow-through on safeguarding alerts
- Medicine errors not analysed
- Incomplete incident records
- Missing IPC audits
- Falls register gaps.
AlwaysReady Care captures evidence for every 5 key questions in one click.
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