SignHealth Longley Road

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 79 (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.

The service had a strong and clearly defined culture shaped by the provider’s 5 core values — “We Can, We Care, We Belong, We Learn, and We Appreciate.” These values were not only displayed but actively embedded into daily practice, discussions, and decision-making across the team.

Staff explained that these values were consistently used in supervisions, appraisals, and team meetings to guide reflection, recognise achievements, and link actions back to resident wellbeing. Managers used these sessions to celebrate good practice, share learning, and reinforce the importance of compassionate, inclusive, and person-centred care.

The registered manager and staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the provider’s vision and how it connected to the service’s day-to-day operations. Staff described a shared sense of purpose and commitment to continually improving the quality of care.

The culture within the service was open, supportive, and inclusive. People were treated with respect and equality, and individual differences were celebrated. The atmosphere was relaxed and positive, with staff and residents frequently seen laughing, signing, and engaging in meaningful interaction.

Staff told us they felt valued and part of something purposeful. One staff member said that “when we are happy, our residents are happy,” reflecting the strong link between staff wellbeing and quality of care.

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.

The service benefited from strong, skilled, and compassionate leadership. The registered manager, deputy manager, and team leaders worked closely together to maintain a consistent management presence and ensure the service ran safely and effectively at all times.

The registered manager held a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care and had extensive experience within the organisation prior to taking on the role at this specialist service.

Leaders promoted a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. All staff were required to hold, or be working towards, relevant care qualifications such as the Care Certificate or an NVQ Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care. Training records confirmed that mandatory training was up to date and regularly refreshed.

Because the service supports deaf residents, every member of staff was required to hold at least a Level 2 British Sign Language (BSL) qualification. Where staff were highly proficient signers but did not hold a formal certificate, the provider supported them to complete recognised qualifications to evidence their skills. Managers ensured both receptive and expressive BSL skills were developed and maintained through ongoing training and observation.

Staff described the leadership team as approachable, inclusive, and genuinely invested in both resident and staff wellbeing. Leaders modelled the provider’s core values and maintained strong communication across all levels of the service. Feedback from health and care professional include - “the previous manager was kind, friendly, and maintained regular contact with me. The current manager is also kind, friendly, and communicates clearly. I find the manager to be organised and a good leader who highlights concerns and actions taken effectively.”

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

The provider had created an open and transparent culture where staff felt confident to raise concerns without fear of reprisal. Everyone working in the service understood their responsibility to speak up about any issue that could affect the safety or wellbeing of people receiving care.

Staff told us they were encouraged to discuss concerns directly with the registered manager, who operated an open-door policy. Where issues needed to be escalated beyond the registered manager, staff were aware they could contact another senior manager or the local authority.

A clear, visual flow chart was displayed in staff areas, outlining the steps to follow when raising a concern. This helped ensure all staff, including Deaf employees, could easily understand and access the whistleblowing process.

Staff were familiar with the provider’s Whistleblowing Policy and confirmed they felt supported to use it if necessary. They described a culture where transparency and accountability were encouraged at every level.

People knew how to raise a concern or complaint and were confident they would be listened to. The complaints procedure was displayed in accessible formats, and the registered manager understood the importance of resolving concerns positively and transparently.

Information from twice-daily handovers was used to share potential concerns promptly and agree on actions to reduce risks or prevent repeat incidents. Staff told us this communication process made them feel listened to and confident that issues were addressed quickly.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them.

The provider demonstrated a deep and consistent commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across both the workforce and the people supported. The culture of the service was built on respect, acceptance, and understanding of individual differences.

Staff received regular training in equality and diversity, which included practical sessions on recognising discrimination, understanding cultural identity, and promoting inclusion. Training also extended to residents, with open discussions about racial discrimination, equality, and respect for others. These conversations helped everyone in the service understand what respectful behaviour looked like and why fairness mattered.

The provider’s recruitment policy actively promoted inclusion by employing staff who were deaf or fluent in British Sign Language (BSL). This approach reduced communication barriers and fostered a shared cultural understanding between staff and people. Almost all staff were Deaf, with a small number who had partial hearing but were fully proficient in BSL. This gave the team a lived empathy for the challenges people faced and created a strong sense of mutual respect and connection.

The service also had systems in place to support people from diverse backgrounds, including those from the LGBT community, and ensured staff were confident discussing matters of identity and inclusion sensitively.

Staff described the environment as one where everyone felt accepted and valued. People were supported to express themselves freely, whether through language, culture, or personal identity.

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 service was managed effectively through strong governance systems that ensured accountability, continuous improvement, and high-quality care.

The registered manager had a clear understanding of their legal responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations. Statutory notifications, including safeguarding alerts, were submitted to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a timely and appropriate manner.

Staff understood their roles and responsibilities clearly and carried them out in line with the provider’s governance framework. This structure ensured that quality and safety remained central to daily operations.

Comprehensive auditing processes were in place to monitor every aspect of the service. Daily observations were used to maintain consistency of care, while monthly audits covered key areas such as care plans, medicines management, infection prevention, and health and safety. Findings were recorded and followed up through a structured improvement plan, ensuring any shortfalls were addressed promptly and effectively.

The provider also used an overarching quality statement audit tool to review performance across all domains of the service. This tool supported the registered manager in identifying themes, tracking progress, and evidencing compliance against regulatory standards.

Supervisions were held every 6 weeks and were used to reinforce accountability, discuss performance, and embed learning from audits. Staff described these sessions as supportive and focused on both professional growth and service improvement.

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 maintained strong and effective partnerships with a wide range of external organisations and community networks. These relationships enhanced the quality of care and strengthened inclusion within the Deaf community.

The registered manager actively promoted partnership working with healthcare professionals and community agencies to improve outcomes for people. Records confirmed that input from GPs, psychiatrists, community psychiatric nurses (CPNs), and other professionals was consistently sought, documented, and acted upon. Guidance received from professionals was implemented promptly and reviewed to ensure effectiveness.

The provider worked closely with several Deaf-led and specialist organisations, including the Royal Association for Deaf People, Remark, DeafPlus, and the Springfield Deaf Services. These partnerships ensured that the service remained connected to best practice in Deaf care, language accessibility, and cultural awareness.

People were also encouraged and supported to become active members of their wider community. Staff empowered people to attend community events, access deaf social clubs, and take part in activities that promoted friendship, confidence, and belonging.

The provider’s approach to partnership and community engagement ensured that people’s lives extended meaningfully beyond the service. Collaboration was not only about professional networks but also about ensuring that people were visible, valued, and included in the wider society they belong to.

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.

The service demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Reflection, evaluation, and innovation were integral to how the provider developed and sustained high-quality, person-centred care.

A culture of learning was evident at all levels of the organisation. Staff were supported to review incidents and accidents regularly, identifying lessons learned and adapting practice to minimise the risk of recurrence. Outcomes from these reviews were discussed in team meetings, supervisions, and annual appraisals to ensure learning was shared and embedded across the service.

The provider was in the process of embedding a new digital care-planning system designed to be fully accessible for Deaf users. The service had undertaken a two-month trial period to evaluate different software options, focusing on ensuring that whichever system was adopted would be Deaf-friendly, with built-in BSL video capability, pictorial support plans, and visual prompts.

The registered manager explained that while not all digital platforms were designed for Deaf services, the organisation was committed to testing and refining options until the system was fully suitable. This inclusive approach ensured that innovation would enhance accessibility rather than create new barriers.