Tendacare

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 changed to outstanding.

This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 89 (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.

This included daily messages, weekly service-user updates and team meetings, helping staff feel informed and connected to the organisation’s priorities.

Staff consistently described a positive culture. One member of staff told us, “Yes, I have no problem speaking with the team if I have an issue regarding any concerns, ”reflecting a culture where feedback was encouraged. A person told us, “This is the first service that I have ever used and for me it's perfect. I am unable to find fault with it; the service is excellent."

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 strong commitment to staff wellbeing through proactive support, including flexible working, phased retirement, adjustments for health conditions and targeted training. This enabled staff to remain in work and feel supported during personal challenges.
There was strong evidence that leaders fostered a culture of trust and respect. One staff member told us, “The managers are very open and honest with us all. I am certain [concerns] would be handled respectfully, confidentially and without any negativity,” which demonstrated high levels of confidence in leadership.
The impact of leadership was evident in consistent positive feedback, strong staff retention and recognition of the service externally, including awards based on feedback from people and families.
The provider truly believed in communication and included staff on a daily basis. They did this by arranging office team meetings every Monday morning to discuss people, staffing, quality, safeguarding, operational issues and any other current priorities. This meant staff felt included and actively contributed to the organisation as part of team working.
They also held regular "Coffee Hours" with small groups of care staff around their rotas to allow informal sessions to give carers the opportunity to spend time together with a manager for a catch up and a chat over coffee and biscuits. Wider communication was excellent across the service with important messages being shared in line with people’s changing needs to ensure staff remained consistently up to date.
 

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
Feedback from staff demonstrated they felt listened to and that concerns would be acted upon. One member of staff told us, “Yes, I would feel confident to raise any concerns I had,” reflecting positive experiences of speaking up.
Systems were in place to support speaking up, including clear safeguarding procedures, accessible policies and management escalation routes.

The provider demonstrated an exceptional commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, fostering a culture where people and staff were valued, respected and empowered to thrive. Leaders actively championed equity across the workforce, creating an environment where diversity was celebrated and individual differences were recognised as strengths.
Leaders had cultivated a highly inclusive and supportive culture in which staff wellbeing was a clear organisational priority. Staff consistently described feeling valued, listened to and supported, with a strong sense of belonging across the service. A wide range of initiatives, including meaningful supervision, wellbeing programmes and staff engagement activities, promoted positive staff experiences and contributed to high levels of morale and retention.

The provider invested in developing an inclusive workforce through comprehensive equality, diversity and inclusion training. This went beyond mandatory training and included opportunities for staff to access additional training and become menopause champions, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to support colleagues and promote wellbeing across the organisation. By doing this, staff were encouraged to share learning and act as advocates for inclusion, further strengthening the service’s positive culture.
The provider demonstrated a proactive approach to understanding and responding to the diverse needs of its workforce. Leaders continuously sought feedback and used this to shape support initiatives, ensuring staff felt respected, empowered and able to achieve their full potential. This commitment to inclusion was embedded throughout the service and was reflected in the positive experiences of staff and the culture they helped create.
 

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 governance systems in place to monitor quality, safety and performance. Leaders used digital systems to track care delivery, including care planning, medication, visit monitoring and alerts, demonstrating oversight of key risks.
There was evidence of monitoring, review and improvement, including monthly quality reviews and actions taken in response to issues.
 

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.
The provider demonstrated an exceptional commitment to partnership working, building strong and effective relationships with a wide range of health and social care professionals to improve outcomes for people. Staff worked proactively alongside GPs, district nurses, occupational therapists, specialist teams and other healthcare professionals to ensure people received timely, coordinated and person-centred support. This collaborative approach helped people experience positive outcomes, including safer hospital discharges, improved clinical care and enhanced wellbeing.
Partnership working extended beyond professional agencies. The service recognised the important role of supporting people to remain connected to the local community, and through examples demonstrated how they were able to support these connections to ensure highly positive impacts on people.
The provider had also recognised the heightened risk of loneliness and social isolation for people living with dementia. Through effective community networking, staff had identified local dementia cafés, support groups and social clubs and were gradually introducing people to these opportunities in a way that respected their confidence and individual needs. One person had become a regular attendee at two dementia groups with the support of a familiar carer and had developed meaningful social connections. Another person attended a weekly exercise class with their carer and spoke positively about the experience, telling staff that the activity "keeps me young."
This demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting people to maintain relationships, access their community and lead fulfilling lives based on what mattered most to them. The service's creative and person-centred approach helped promote wellbeing, independence and social inclusion, resulting in positive outcomes for people.
A healthcare professional told us “They are excellent. They work with us as and escalate information when needed. This has had really positive outcomes for people.”
 

The provider demonstrated a deeply embedded culture of continuous learning, innovation and improvement, driving exceptional outcomes for people and contributing positively to the wider health and social care system. Leaders actively championed creative and forward-thinking approaches to care, ensuring people experienced equitable, personalised support that maximised their independence, wellbeing and quality of life.
The service was highly responsive to feedback and worked in genuine partnership with people, their families and staff to shape and enhance care delivery. Feedback consistently led to meaningful improvements, including tailored adjustments to support arrangements, extended visit times where needed and environmental adaptations that enhanced safety, comfort and independence.
For example, we saw how staff had adapted their support style for a person to ensure they worked proactively to support them to manage their health condition. We saw how this approach, which balanced safety and the person’s well – being, had a positive impact on the person and had reduced hospital admissions.
Learning and development were integral to the service's success. Robust governance systems, reflective supervision, competency assessments, comprehensive audits and excellent training compliance ensured staff were confident, skilled and empowered to deliver high-quality care. Leaders actively promoted a culture where learning was shared, good practice was celebrated and innovation was encouraged.
The provider embraced technology to enhance people's experiences and outcomes, making effective use of digital care systems, assistive technology and innovative approaches to care planning, including the development and trialling of AI-supported tools. These initiatives supported more responsive, person-centred care and demonstrated the provider's commitment to exploring new ways of improving safety, quality and efficiency.
The service did not simply respond to change but actively sought opportunities to lead improvement, continually evaluating practice and adopting innovative solutions to ensure people received outstanding care and support.