Right at Home South Trafford

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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The service demonstrated an exceptionally strong and unified culture, underpinned by a clear vision and strategy that staff at all levels understood and actively supported. We found people received excellent outcomes through a culture that promoted confidence, independence and treating people as unique individuals

Equality, diversity and human rights were deeply embedded, with leaders proactively identifying and addressing any workforce inequalities. Staff feedback was actively sought through surveys, meetings and supervision, and learning from incidents, complaints and audits was shared openly to strengthen practice. For example, when a carer experienced challenges supporting a person with distressed behaviours, leaders responded promptly by arranging specialist training, improving both staff confidence and the person’s experience of care.

The provider had recognised, some people may face barriers to giving feedback if English was not their first language. To address this, they identified, translators or interpreters may be required to ensure everyone can share their views and experiences fully. As part of the diversity and inclusion action plan, the provider also considered the importance of recruiting care staff who can speak the same language as the people they support. This approach helped improve communication, strengthen relationships and ensure feedback was gathered in a meaningful and inclusive way.

Staff were empowered to contribute ideas and shape service improvements, including through the introduction of a carer forum designed to promote open dialogue and innovation. Leaders and staff had an excellent understanding of risks to delivering the strategy and monitored progress closely, ensuring the service remained resilient, responsive and consistently aligned with its long‑term goals. A staff member told us, “Right at Home is organised and well-managed because there are systems in place to ensure all care is delivered safely and effectively. Care plans, risk assessments, and medication records are always being updated so carers can support clients according to their individual needs and preferences. Communication within the service is important. Management is supportive and approachable, which helps staff feel comfortable asking for advice or reporting any concerns.”

The provider had exceptionally 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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Leaders had the skills, knowledge and initiative to drive improvements and achieve positive outcomes for people. We found people were supported to maintain and develop personal interests and hobbies, helping them stay connected to what mattered most in their daily lives. Staff encouraged people to remain as independent as possible, including the use of personalised signage around their homes to provide helpful prompts and reminders.

Technology was used creatively to promote independence and safety. People benefited from electronic devices such as iPads and Alexa systems, which were set up to provide medication reminders and support daily routines. This proactive and innovative approach helped people manage their own care more confidently and reduced the risk of missed medicines.

Leaders ensured all staff were well prepared for their roles through a robust induction aligned with the Care Certificate, in‑house training delivered by qualified senior staff, and tailored shadowing until competence was demonstrated. Ongoing development was prioritised through regular supervision, competency checks, refresher training and clear pathways for progression, with many staff successfully advancing into senior roles. A staff member told us, “Leader’s support staff, treating them with respect. Doing this encourages carers to work in a positive and professional way.”

Staff were supported through 24/7 on‑call advice, an open‑door culture, and strong wellbeing initiatives, including debriefing after difficult incidents, regular check‑ins, team events and practical adjustments for staff with health needs. Communication was excellent, with real‑time updates through the in‑house app and proactive contact from office staff.

Safeguarding was deeply embedded, with all staff trained to recognise concerns in a domiciliary setting, strong lone‑working procedures, and rigorous oversight from the Registered Manager.

Safe staffing was ensured through thorough recruitment checks, thoughtful matching of carers to clients, well‑planned rotas and strong lone‑worker protections, including welfare alerts and environmental risk assessments. Leaders’ commitment to equality, diversity and human rights, combined with their proactive, supportive and values‑driven approach, ensured the workforce was skilled, confident and motivated, enabling people to receive consistently outstanding, person‑centred care in their own homes.

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

Staff confirmed there was an open and transparent culture where staff felt safe, confident and encouraged to speak up. Leaders actively fostered an environment of trust, ensuring concerns, ideas and feedback were welcomed without fear of blame. Staff knew how to raise issues through multiple clear routes, including the open‑door policy, supervision, team meetings and 24/7 on‑call support. Leaders responded promptly and constructively to concerns, using them as opportunities for learning and improvement.

A staff member told us, “If there are safety concerns, I would escalate them to my registered manager and follow safeguarding or whistle blowing procedures. It is important to raise any concerns as soon as possible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our clients and other carers.”

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 service demonstrated a commitment to workforce equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring every member of staff felt respected, valued and supported to thrive. Leaders actively promoted an inclusive culture where individual differences were celebrated and where staff were treated fairly regardless of background, identity or personal circumstances.

Workforce inequalities were monitored closely, and proactive steps were taken to remove barriers, for example, adapting rotas and duties to support staff with health conditions and ensuring equal access to training, progression and development opportunities. Staff had a well‑developed understanding of equality and diversity principles and applied them consistently in their practice, contributing to a compassionate, respectful and person‑centred service.

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

The service demonstrated highly effective governance and management, with strong oversight of quality, safety and performance. Leaders used clear systems to monitor incidents, identify themes and drive continuous improvement. Falls were identified as the highest risk area, accounting for 60% of incidents, and the service responded proactively by introducing a structured Falls Prevention Programme. This had effectively reduced the risk of falls occurring. Learning from other incidents, such as verbal aggression, medication errors, choking and early skin breakdown was acted on immediately, with care plans updated, staff supported and referrals made to health professionals. These actions reflected strong clinical governance, effective risk management and a culture of early reporting.

Safeguarding and workforce governance were integral to the service’s overall management approach. Although no safeguarding referrals were required during the period, leaders demonstrated robust oversight through tailored training, lone‑working guidance, 24/7 on‑call support and close monitoring by the Registered Care Manager.

We found no safeguarding referrals had been raised in the 12 months prior to the inspection, and the provider had already recognised that the absence of referrals could raise questions about potential under‑reporting. In response, the provider took proactive steps to demonstrate that safeguarding systems were robust and that staff were confident in recognising and escalating concerns. A safeguarding log was maintained even when no referrals were made as low level concerns did not meet the threshold for a wider investigation. This provided clear evidence of ongoing monitoring and oversight.

Safe staffing was ensured through rigorous recruitment checks, thoughtful carer‑client matching, well‑planned rotas and welfare‑alert systems, supporting both safety and continuity of care. Structured induction, mandatory training, competency checks and regular supervision ensured staff were skilled, confident and supported, contributing to long‑term workforce sustainability.

Governance also extended to equality, diversity and inclusion, with a clear action plan to ensure the workforce and service reflected the local population. Improvements included enhanced data collection, culturally appropriate care planning, celebration of relevant festivals and engagement with community groups. The service strengthened access for people whose first language is not English by identifying interpreters and recruiting staff with relevant language skills.

Continuous improvement was embedded across the organisation. Staff survey feedback led to practical changes such as an easy‑read complaints procedure, increased family involvement in reviews, improved recognition of staff achievements and strengthened communication processes. Staff were upskilled to better identify changes in client needs, and one‑page carer profiles were introduced to improve matching with clients. Supervision, appraisal and probation processes were enhanced with dedicated career development discussions, supporting retention and future leadership capacity.

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 demonstrated strong and proactive partnerships with local health and community organisations, ensuring people received well‑coordinated, holistic support. Staff worked closely with GPs, district nurses, therapists and hospital teams, making timely referrals and sharing relevant information to promote safe, consistent care. This collaborative approach supported early intervention, reduced avoidable deterioration and helped prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.

Leaders also built meaningful links within the local community to enhance people’s wellbeing and ensure the service remained inclusive and accessible. Engagement with cultural and faith groups supported the delivery of culturally appropriate care, while connections with community organisations helped signpost people to wider support networks, social opportunities and health services.

Feedback from partners was extremely positive. A health professional had reported, a staff member has gone above and beyond and had been “Absolutely brilliant”, when supporting a person to improve their mobility and complete exercise programmes.

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

Incidents, concerns, feedback and audit findings were routinely analysed to identify themes, drive improvement and prevent recurrence. Learning from events such as falls, medication errors, choking and verbal aggression led to immediate action, updated care plans, strengthened training and improved risk‑management processes. This responsive approach ensured learning was embedded quickly and consistently across the service.

Innovation was used to improve both care delivery and workforce support. The introduction of the Falls Prevention Programme, enhanced incident auditing, and improved monitoring of high‑risk clients demonstrated a proactive approach to reducing avoidable harm. The service also implemented one‑page carer profiles to improve matching, strengthened communication systems through the in‑house app, and upskilled staff to better identify changes in client needs. Staff survey feedback directly informed service improvements, including an easy‑read complaints procedure, increased family involvement in reviews and improved recognition of staff achievements.

Leaders fostered an open, reflective culture where staff felt confident to share ideas, raise concerns and contribute to service development. Regular supervision, team meetings and training sessions were used to reinforce learning, celebrate good practice and encourage innovation. This commitment to continuous improvement ensured the service remained resilient, forward‑thinking and consistently focused on delivering safe, high‑quality and person‑centred care.