Homecare Team Ltd

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

Staff understood the provider's values and were committed to promoting people's independence, wellbeing and quality of life. Leaders encouraged honesty, openness and accountability, creating an environment where people, relatives and staff felt able to share feedback and raise concerns.

Feedback was actively sought from people using the service, relatives and staff through surveys, meetings and regular communication, with views used to improve service delivery. Care was tailored to meet people's diverse cultural, religious, communication and lifestyle needs, ensuring support was delivered fairly and without discrimination.

Staff reported leaders were supportive, accessible and encouraged open discussion about concerns, challenges and ideas for improvement. A staff member told us, “The service wants everyone to be treated as unique individuals, and all care has to be specific to them. I believe that [registered manager name] would listen to any concerns and suggestions we have.”

Team meetings, supervision, training and regular updates helped staff understand organisational priorities and their role in achieving them. Complaints, incidents and feedback were reviewed to identify lessons learned and drive service improvements.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Leaders demonstrated a genuine commitment to improving people's experiences, wellbeing and outcomes through person-centred care. People, relatives and staff described leaders as accessible, supportive and responsive when concerns or issues were raised.

Leaders understood the needs of people and the wider community, helping ensure care remained relevant, flexible and responsive. Staff felt valued, respected and supported by leaders and were encouraged to contribute ideas and suggestions for service improvement. Leaders promoted transparency and maintained regular communication through meetings, supervision, training and day-to-day engagement.

Leaders promoted fair and inclusive care and supported staff to understand and respond to people's diverse needs and backgrounds. Quality monitoring, feedback systems and performance reviews were used to identify improvements and maintain service quality, although some of these weren’t always effective.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Systems were in place for people and relatives to raise complaints, compliments, concerns and suggestions. Feedback was gathered through surveys, care reviews, monitoring calls and regular discussions with people and relatives.

Staff understood whistleblowing procedures and felt able to challenge poor practice or report concerns safely and appropriately. Leaders encouraged open discussion and created an environment where staff felt valued, respected and listened to.

Team meetings, supervisions and informal discussions provided opportunities for staff to contribute ideas and suggest improvements.

Leaders investigated issues appropriately; lessons learned from complaints, incidents and feedback were shared across the service to promote continuous improvement. Feedback from people, relatives and staff was regularly reviewed to identify themes, address concerns and strengthen service delivery.

Staff reported feeling respected and supported regardless of their background, culture, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, disability or personal circumstances. Staff recruitment, training, supervision and career development opportunities were fair, transparent and accessible to all staff.

Leaders actively promoted equality, diversity and inclusion and led by example through respectful, open and inclusive behaviours. Staff received training and guidance to help them understand their responsibilities and support inclusive working practices. The provider promoted staff wellbeing and considered individual circumstances where possible, helping staff feel valued and supported.

Leaders encouraged teamwork, mutual respect and the sharing of ideas and perspectives across the workforce. Feedback and quality assurance processes were used to identify and address any potential inequalities and strengthen the provider's inclusive culture.

The provider did not always have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability orgood governance. They did not always act on the best information about risk, performance andoutcomes, or share this securely with others when appropriate.

Regular audits and monitoring of care records, safeguarding, incidents, complaints, recruitment and training helped leaders maintain and improve service quality.

Audits of medicines administration were being undertaken; however, these processes failed to identify some of the issues identified during the assessment. Where issues had been identified, there was limited evidence that they had been adequately investigated or addressed in a timely manner. This meant that appropriate action may not have been taken promptly to mitigate risks and ensure people were kept safe.

Call monitoring logs were also disorganised and weren’t always reflective of the time staff spent delivering care.

People and relatives described the service as well organised, reliable and responsive when issues arose. Risks relating to people's care, staffing, service delivery and business continuity were identified, monitored and mitigated appropriately.

Information was recorded, stored and shared securely, supporting confidentiality while enabling effective partnership working with healthcare professionals and other agencies. Leaders monitored staffing capacity, workforce development, service demand and financial performance to ensure the long-term viability of the service. Staff understood governance processes and felt supported by leaders.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services workedseamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated forimprovement.

Information was shared appropriately and in a timely manner, helping ensure people experienced continuity of care and smooth transitions between services. Staff liaised regularly with GPs, district nurses and other healthcare professionals to respond to changing needs and improve outcomes.

Systems were in place to share information safely and confidentially with partner agencies while protecting people's privacy and rights. Leaders were aware of local services and community resources and helped people access additional support when required.

Information from incidents, complaints, safeguarding concerns, feedback and external partners was used to improve service delivery and outcomes.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome, and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

Staff were encouraged to reflect on their practice, share lessons learned and participate in discussions about improving service delivery. Staff were supported to find creative and personalised ways of meeting people's needs, promoting independence, reducing isolation and improving wellbeing.

The provider collaborated with healthcare professionals, commissioners and other organisations to share learning, improve practice and support better outcomes.

Audit findings, performance data and feedback were used to assess the effectiveness of improvements and ensure positive changes were sustained. Staff felt supported to suggest new ideas and improvements, contributing to a culture where innovation and creative problem-solving were encouraged.