We Care Chorlton

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 75 (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 and understanding the challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The vision and values of the service were clear and person-centred. Managers and leaders led by example and monitored practice against these values. The Nominated Individual explained they were a local company, and they were proud to be an integral part of the local community.

Staff were positive and told us We Care Chorlton was a good company to work for. They continued to be positive about the support they received from the office. Communication was good and the office were responsive to their needs. They told us, “The office staff are helpful” and “They deal with the staff really well and they respect us, they listen to us.”

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.

People and their relatives reported a high level of satisfaction with the service. They told us, “The manager phones us every few weeks to check if everything is okay or if we need anything” and “This agency was recommended from a social worker, and everything ran smoothly from the first moment.”

Staff reported a high level of trust and felt the management team had the appropriate knowledge, experience and skills to lead effectively. Staff said there was an inclusive culture. They told us, “There is a good team culture in the office, and the carers are involved too. We celebrate Christmas, Dvali and Eid together as well” and “There is a caring culture. It is like a family. This includes the staff and the people who use the service too.”

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

Staff received training in safeguarding and whistleblowing. They reported an open culture and an open-door policy where they were encouraged to report any concerns. They were confident the registered manager would respond appropriately. No concerns were raised about any unsafe care or poor practices.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

We Care Chorlton had a diverse workforce. Staff told us there was an open culture and they felt supported. The service went the extra mile to ensure all staff were valued. This included awards and events to support staff involvement.

Policies and staff training covered equality legislation. Staff told us they felt supported, and we received no feedback about any unfair treatment.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The provider had responded very positively to the shortfalls identified at the last assessment. A new role of operations manager had bene introduced to complement the registered manager and the Nominated Individual. Significant improvements had been made and there was a clear focus on person centred care. Quality assurance had been strengthened through a clear focus on regular quality calls and care reviews. People using the service and their families were contacted routinely to gather feedback, which was used to identify trends and drive improvements. This had resulted in a high level of satisfaction with the service.

The provider has successfully introduced and embedded digital systems since the last assessment. This helped to improve performance as it enabled the management team to have better oversight of the care being provided.

Regular audits were in place to provide oversight of key areas such as visit rotas, care plans and infection control. There was a learning culture, and actions were identified for any shortfalls found. Policies and procedures were in place to support compliance with legislative requirements.

The registered manager was aware of their legal responsibilities and notified the Care Quality Commission and local authorities appropriately when required. We identified one issue during the assessment where the service was not registered to support one person. This was for a short period and the service withdrew from the package of care once this had been identified.

There were robust arrangements for the availability, integrity and confidentiality of data, records and data management systems.

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

The service was embedded in the local community it served and was considered a valued partner by others in the community.For example, the provider worked with a local artist to improve the local environment. Unwanted graffiti had become a local issue where the shutters on businesses were becoming an eyesore. We Care Chorlton participated in an initiative called, ‘One shutter at a time’. This enabled a local artist to transform each shutter into a canvass promoting the local community.

The provider delivered festive gift bags, hampers and handwritten cards at Christmas to people in their own homes. These visits created moments of connection, helped people to feel valued and reflected the person-centred approach at the service.

We received positive feedback from 2 health and social care professionals. They told us, “Overall, my experience of the service has been positive, with many citizens expressing satisfaction with the quality of care and support they receive.One of the key strengths highlighted by citizens is the quality of the care staff. Individuals often report positive relationships with their carers, describing them as respectful, caring, and attentive to their needs. This positive experience is often a significant factor in our decision to commission care through We Care Chorlton.”

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.

Processes were in place to ensure the service could respond to concerns as they arose. Staff were clear when they needed to report concerns to the office. People and their families were also confident, they could also contact the office when they needed to. Office staff made regular calls to people to obtain feedback about their experience of care.