Jon Taylor, Divisional Director of Corporate Risks – Health & Care at Howden, explores how providers can balance accountability, safety and person-centred care — and why positive risk-taking, strong leadership and learning cultures are essential to delivering both quality and independence in modern care services.
Risk in social care has historically been approached defensively, with the focus largely centred on removing potential hazards and preventing incidents wherever possible. While safety will always remain fundamental, I believe the sector is beginning to shift towards a more proactive understanding of risk — one that recognises the importance of enabling people to live fuller, richer lives rather than simply protecting them from harm.
This shift matters because care is not only about safety. It is also about dignity, independence, fulfilment and choice. Increasingly, providers are being asked to balance these competing priorities within highly regulated and often resource-constrained environments. Families, regulators and commissioners rightly expect services to evidence safe practice, but service users also want lives that feel meaningful and self-directed.
In my experience, the greatest tensions often arise when supporting people living with dementia or individuals with reduced mental capacity. Everyday activities that many people take for granted can carry heightened levels of risk. Something as simple as walking independently, preparing food or choosing what to eat can create complex decisions around safety and autonomy. Providers are constantly balancing the need to avoid incidents while still protecting the individual’s right to independence and quality of life.
I believe organisations need to actively build cultures of positive risk-taking if they want teams to feel more confident making balanced, person-centred decisions. Too often the immediate response in care can become: “They can’t do that.” Instead, we should be asking: “How can we make that happen safely for everyone involved?”
That change in mindset is critical. It allows providers to move away from blanket restrictions and towards more creative, enabling approaches. Technology and clear documentation can also play an important role here, offering greater certainty, consistency and reassurance for everyone involved.
Leadership is central to this conversation. The tone around risk-taking within any organisation is driven by leadership communication and culture. Teams look to leaders to understand whether positive risk-taking is genuinely supported or whether blame and fear still sit underneath decision-making. If leaders only focus on compliance, staff will naturally become more cautious and defensive in practice.
For providers to move away from risk-averse cultures without compromising safety, there must be a stronger focus on learning rather than blame. Many people work in care because they are passionate about supporting others. Some would even describe it as a calling. Yet in highly pressured environments, staff can begin to fear making mistakes rather than focusing on helping people live fulfilling lives.
Creating a culture where learning is valued changes this dynamic entirely. Staff should feel empowered to support service users to experience life more fully, while knowing they will be supported if something does not go perfectly. Very rarely do people make mistakes intentionally. In most cases, staff are trying to do the right thing with the best intentions.
Good, practical risk management should also feel real and visible in day-to-day practice. It should not exist solely as lengthy policies sitting in folders. Effective risk management comes to life through regular conversations, reflective practice, learning from mistakes and maintaining a genuine safety-first approach rather than simply focusing on compliance.
Frontline teams are far more likely to make consistent and confident decisions when they work within organisations that promote openness and psychological safety. A no-fear environment allows people to raise concerns, discuss near misses honestly and suggest ideas without constantly seeking permission or fearing criticism. Staff need coaching, support and trust if they are going to make balanced decisions confidently.
When risk is poorly understood or inconsistently managed, the consequences can be significant. Service users may either become unsafe or excessively restricted in what they are able to do. Staff can feel frustrated and unable to deliver the level of support they know individuals deserve. In the worst cases, poor risk management can result in serious incidents or accidents that could and should have been prevented.
This is why accountability must be shared rather than feared. Organisations should regularly review accidents, incidents and near misses together, not to assign blame but to identify learning opportunities and improve practice. Positive cultures recognise that improvement comes through openness, reflection and adaptation rather than punishment.
Ultimately, strong and resilient providers will increasingly be defined by the experiences of the people they support. Are service users living fulfilling lives? Are they able to do as much as possible safely? Are they genuinely happy?
The same applies to the workforce. Staff morale, engagement and retention tell you a great deal about the quality of a provider’s culture. In many of the strongest care organisations I have encountered, you can see the difference immediately simply by speaking to staff and observing how they interact with the people they support.
When staff feel empowered, trusted and supported, they are far better placed to help service users live the best lives possible. And surely that is what good care should ultimately be about.
