Nobilis Care Southampton

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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. At our last inspection 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 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, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people.

The registered manager had a clear vision for the service, as set out in the provider’s statement of purpose. They described being supported by senior leaders to grow the service in a planned and sustainable way, ensuring increases in the number of people supported were well-managed. The registered manager outlined a strategic approach to service development. For example, they planned to take on additional packages which would link services in Southampton and Waterlooville together. This would help increase support for staffing and improve staffing contingency.

The registered manager demonstrated a clear understanding of the service’s scope and set defined boundaries around the types of care they provided. For example, they had chosen not to deliver live-in care services due to not always having staff available for this type of care. This reflected a considered and responsible approach.

Staff said leaders were professional, approachable, and receptive to feedback. They felt confident raising concerns and valued the support they received from senior staff.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Leaders were visible, approachable, and supportive. They had a good understanding of people’s needs and maintained up-to-date care training, enabling them to work alongside staff and complete visits when required. Roles within the management team were clearly defined, which supported effective oversight of safety and quality. Wider organisational support, including senior leadership and specialist departments, such as finance and IT, was in place, contributing to a stable and well-supported service.

The registered manager was suitably qualified and experienced, with a clear understanding of their regulatory responsibilities. Statutory notifications were submitted appropriately, and requirements relating to the display of ratings were fulfilled. This reflected that regulatory requirements were met. Senior staff held relevant health and social care qualifications, with some qualified to deliver care training in key areas, such as medicines administration and moving and handling. This helped ensure the provider was responsive to staff’s ongoing training and development needs

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

Systems were in place to support speaking up, including complaints and whistleblowing procedures. Staff confirmed they were aware of these processes and felt confident to raise concerns if needed. The provider actively sought and recorded people, relatives, professionals and staff’s views and experiences, using this information to drive improvement through reflective reviews.

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.

The provider had policies and procedures in place to promote equality and diversity within the workforce. The registered manager responded to staff members’ individual needs to promote their wellbeing at work. This included making reasonable adjustments to working patterns, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to abusive behaviour towards staff, and adapting training to suit different learning styles.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality care and support.

The provider had effective governance systems in place to monitor quality and safety. These included live oversight of care delivery, such as monitoring care visits, medicines administration, and the completion of key tasks. The provider acted where issues were identified, for example by contacting staff to seek assurance when planned tasks had not been confirmed as completed. This reduced the risk of care tasks being missed.

The provider also carried out wider thematic reviews across the service. These included audits of electronic call monitoring, care plans, staff files, safeguarding, incidents, infection control, complaints, health and safety, compliments, and training compliance. This provided comprehensive oversight of key areas of quality and safety. Regular management meetings supported the sharing of learning, good practice, and service updates, helping senior leaders maintain a clear understanding of the service’s strengths and challenges.

The provider demonstrated a strong approach to information governance. Systems ensured records were stored securely and accessed only by authorised staff. Access to confidential information was regularly reviewed to maintain data security. For example, access to the electronic system could be immediately restricted if concerns arose about inappropriate access to people’s personal information.

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.

Staff worked in partnership with other professionals when needed to ensure people received personalised care and support. The registered manager was part of several professional networks, which helped share good practice and contributed to staff development. They also subscribed to updates from professional bodies such as CQC and Skills for Care, helping to make sure the service followed current best practice.

The registered manager described a positive working relationship with one of the provider’s other services, which had been used to improve systems for care call consistency, continuity of staff, and communication about changes to care.

The provider focused on continuous learning and improvement across the organisation.

The registered manager promoted a positive, learning-focused culture and encouraged reflective practice. They actively sought and responded to feedback from people, staff, and external partners to drive improvement. For example, following professional feedback, care planning and staff training for catheter care were improved. Care plans were updated to include clear guidance on staff responsibilities, risks, required checks, and when to escalate concerns. Staff were confident in applying this guidance and confirmed they had received additional training. This demonstrated a responsive approach to improving practice.