Ivy Grace Home Care LTD - Kirby Cross Branch

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, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

People told us staff understood the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries while providing care and support. This helped to ensure people were supported in a way that respected their preferences, promoted dignity and reflected their individual needs. One person said, “I have no concerns on how staff support me they treat me as an individual and with kindness.”

The provider had a clear vision and set of values, which staff told us were regularly shared and reinforced. This helped staff to understand the aims of the service and supported a consistent approach to providing care in line with the provider’s expectations and values.

The service had policies and procedures in place to support effective communication and keep staff informed of important updates. Staff told us relevant information was accessible, and regular team meetings and written guidance helped to ensure key messages were shared consistently and expectations were clear.

Staff told us they felt well supported by the registered manager, who was approachable and available to speak with. This helped to promote open communication across the service and meant staff, people and relatives could raise matters when needed. One staff member told us, “Ivy Grace in my opinion is a fabulous company, although we are relatively new our management team and our team of carers always go above and beyond for the people that we look after. Our management team are supportive and very caring and are always there to help us when required.”

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 was overseen by a registered manager and senior staff who had experience and understood people’s assessed needs. An on-call system was available at weekends and overnight, which meant staff could access management support when needed. Staff and relatives told us they knew how to contact the management team, helping to support continuity and responsive oversight of people’s care.

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

People and their relatives had different ways to share their views about the service, which helped to ensure their feedback could be heard and used to inform improvements. One person told us, “The office calls me to check how things are going and if I want to make any changes.” Another person said, “I receive a form to complete that asks me what I think about the service that I’m receiving.”

Staff told us regular team meetings took place, which gave them opportunities to raise concerns and share ideas about how the service could improve. They described senior staff as approachable and available to talk with when needed, which supported open communication within the service. One staff member told us, “We have regular team meetings, which provide a valuable opportunity to come together and discuss the well-being of the people we support. I am always pleased to contribute to these discussions. We also use these meetings to identify ways to improve our service and to learn from incidents and accidents.”

The provider had systems in place to record complaints and compliments. At the time of the assessment, no complaints had been recorded

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.

Staff told us they had some flexibility in the shifts they worked, including evenings and weekends, which helped them to balance their work and personal commitments. This contributed to staffs’ wellbeing.

Staff completed training in equality and diversity, which helped them to understand their responsibilities and support an inclusive and respectful workplace culture.

Newly appointed staff had completed an induction programme, which helped them to settle into their roles and understand the expectations of the service. This supported a consistent approach to care and practice from the outset.

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 systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service, manage risks and review performance. These processes helped leaders to maintain oversight of the service and supported the delivery of safe, consistent care.

The service carried out regular audits of care plans to help ensure they were kept up to date and reflected people’s current needs and preferences. This supported staff to provide personalised care and helped the provider identify and respond to any changes needed in people’s support.

Leaders understood their regulatory responsibilities, including the need to maintain accurate records and submit notifications when required. Staff told us they received clear guidance and support, which helped them carry out their roles effectively. These governance arrangements supported oversight of the service and helped to promote safe, consistent and high-quality care.

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 provider worked with external professionals and agencies to help ensure people received coordinated care and support. This helped people to access the services they needed and supported joined-up care that reflected their individual needs.

The review process involved people and, where appropriate, their relatives, with information shared in a clear and accessible way. This showed the service worked in partnership with others to support people’s wellbeing and help them achieve better outcomes while remaining supported in the community.

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 provider promoted a culture of continuous improvement through effective governance and oversight. Events were reviewed and issues responded to in a timely way, which supported the identification of themes, learning from incidents and improvements in practice. This demonstrated a well-led service committed to learning, accountability and improving the quality and safety of care.

Staff told us they were encouraged to contribute to the development of the service and share feedback through meetings and supervision. This showed leaders promoted an open and inclusive culture where staff views were listened to and used to support improvement. One staff member said, “We’re involved in changes and developments within the service. The manager asks for our ideas and suggestions about how things can be done differently.”