Inspire Care Agencies Limited

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.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated 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.

Staff told us they worked well as a team and had a good relationship with the RM and provider. Staff felt valued and supported. Information was shared and communication was good which facilitated joined up care for people based on their specific care and support needs. The registered manager told us they had an open-door policy, staff and relatives contacted the RM on the telephone or visited the office to discuss any issues or concerns.
 

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. Staff told us, “I do have a supportive office team and manager. I used to have coffee mornings and meetings where I can raise any concerns/issues if any. I can freely approach my manager for any advice with regard to work.”

Staff had access to appropriate training and support to ensure they were confident and competent to meet people’s needs. When requested further training was sourced and staff were supported to develop their skills in specific areas. One staff member told us they requested further training around moving and handling and extra support and training was provided. The RM told us that the focus of the service was to support staff, people receiving care and their families as much as possible. The RM was supported at all times by the provider, “They are here in the office a lot and are always aware of any weekly issues, in case I am off, but also they are on call too, so they need to know everything, if for example someone is in hospital or due to be discharged at the weekend.”
 

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
Relatives and staff felt supported and told us they were able to call the RM and the provider if they needed anything. There was an on-call number which could be used at times the office was closed. Relatives told us, “They are very helpful, when I ring, I get an answer there and then to my query” and “I would say the management, [RM’s name] specifically, is what makes it great. she gives a lot of advice, seems to know my relative and has a good understanding of their needs. They have been flexible and been able to adapt when their needs have changed. [RM’s name] makes the service excellent.”

A whistleblowing policy was in place to support staff. Staff attended regular staff meetings which were used to share any relevant information and discuss people’s care. Staff felt listened to and valued. Staff told us, “Effective communication is crucial to care. We are fortunate that our manager, office staff and management at Inspire Care will not let us miss any calls at any time, day or night. We will receive assistance from our office at any time.”
 

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 registered manager and provider worked hard to ensure staff felt supported. Staff cultural differences were considered. When new staff began work at the service they were offered support, tailored to their needs. For example, staff working on sponsorship from abroad were given extra support around the use of equipment used during personal care, kitchen equipment and food preparation. All staff we spoke to gave positive feedback and felt included and valued as part of the care team.
 

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 RM had robust governance systems in place to regularly monitor and review all aspects of the service. Any issues or improvements identified were discussed with staff and actioned to continually improve the service. For example, following an accident or incident, reviews were completed and changes made to care plans and risk assessments if needed, any changes were communicated promptly to staff.

Regular checks were carried out to ensure staff safety in people’s homes, including equipment checks, parking safety and access to the property. The RM and provider maintained a good oversight of the service and knew their staff and people receiving support very well.
 

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 RM and staff worked with a range of other health care organisations and specialist services involved in people’s care. This ensured good outcomes for people. People were supported to go out and we were told some staff chose to go out with people in their spare time. Members of the management team had taken people shopping to help prevent social isolation.
 

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.

There was a clear emphasis on ensuring people received the best care possible. The RM and provider strove to actively encourage and support staff to share their views and work together to continuously learn and improve. We saw evidence of actions and learning taken forward following accidents, incidents or complaints to ensure people’s care was provided in accordance with current best practice guidelines. The service worked closely with another local agency and shared learning to facilitate learning and improvement.