Home Instead

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 provider had created a culture where people were at the centre of decision making and staff consistently understood the organisation's values and objectives. Staff described having sufficient time to build meaningful relationships with people, promote independence and deliver highly personalised support. Staff spoke positively about the provider's matching process, which considered people's interests, preferences and personalities to help establish trusting relationships. For example, we spoke to one person who described how they chose Home Instead to support them based on their prior knowledge of the staff and observing them helping others. They said “The staff always came across happy and well looked after. I have never looked back since having them.” One person described how the managers approach eased their anxieties and distress by maintaining links to their GP practice and dentists despite complications of moving area. This enabling culture helped them keep what mattered to them.
An external professional described a culture where problems were addressed without blame or fear and where staff demonstrated a strong sense of personal responsibility and a shared commitment to achieving the best outcomes for people. The provider invested significantly in staff development through annual team events, coaching and leadership programmes to strengthen confidence, resilience and reflective practice. Staff consistently described managers as supportive and approachable and spoke positively about the provider's commitment to learning, wellbeing and high-quality care.
 

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.
Staff consistently described leaders as providing exceptional support during some of the most challenging periods of their lives. Multiple staff shared examples of managers responding with compassion, discretion and practical assistance when they experienced significant personal difficulties. Rather than limiting their support to workplace issues, leaders took a genuinely person-centred approach, helping staff access appropriate external support, making reasonable adjustments, protecting their wellbeing and enabling them to remain in employment during periods of crisis and recovery. Staff said managers created a culture where they felt safe discussing sensitive issues without fear of judgement and were confident they would be listened to, respected and supported. Leaders demonstrated a deep understanding of individual circumstances and adapted support to meet diverse needs, ensuring staff felt valued, included and able to continue contributing to the organisation. The impact of this approach was significant, with staff describing how the support they received had improved their wellbeing, confidence and ability to remain in work during exceptionally difficult periods. Several staff told us they felt the organisation had changed their lives for the better and spoke passionately about the inclusive, compassionate culture leaders had created.
 

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
Staff consistently told us they felt comfortable approaching managers for advice, support or guidance and were confident that concerns would be listened to and acted upon. Staff described leaders as approachable and available when required. Regular supervision, appraisals, support visits and one-to-one discussions provided opportunities for staff to raise concerns, discuss practice and contribute ideas.
Staff told us managers responded quickly to issues and encouraged open communication. Relatives also described effective communication and said concerns were addressed promptly.
 

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 described feeling part of a team and said managers recognised their contributions and achievements.
The provider supported staff through supervision, appraisal, training and development opportunities. Staff were encouraged to develop new skills and pursue additional learning that reflected their interests and career aspirations.
 

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 completed a range of audits covering care planning, medicines, staffing, recruitment, training, incidents and quality assurance. The provider had systems to identify concerns, allocate actions and monitor progress. Governance processes were supported by key performance indicators, service reviews, competency assessments and external auditing.
Audit findings demonstrated leaders identified shortfalls and took action to improve systems. Evidence showed findings became more focused during 2026, indicating that previous learning had resulted in improvements. External auditing also confirmed compliance across assessed standards.
 

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.
The provider's commitment to partnership working extended far beyond coordinating care for people using the service. Leaders had established themselves as trusted and influential partners within the local health, social care and voluntary sector, using their expertise, resources and relationships to improve outcomes across the wider community. Community organisations consistently described the provider as approachable, reliable and proactive, highlighting the significant contribution they made to local wellbeing initiatives. Rather than simply participating in community events, the provider actively helped create opportunities for older people, carers, families and community groups to access information, develop knowledge, strengthen social networks and reduce isolation. This included supporting health and wellbeing events, dementia-awareness initiatives and activities that promoted inclusion, friendship and emotional wellbeing. Professionals described the provider as a valued partner whose contribution enhanced the effectiveness of community services and strengthened support available to local people.
The impact of these partnerships was significant and extended beyond those directly receiving care. Community organisations reported that the provider shared knowledge, training opportunities and resources that improved understanding of dementia and enabled other groups to better support people within the community. Initiatives designed to reduce loneliness and social isolation created meaningful opportunities for people to build friendships, strengthen support networks and improve wellbeing. Feedback from professionals consistently demonstrated that leaders worked collaboratively, shared concerns promptly and took a proactive approach to problem solving, resulting in more coordinated care and improved outcomes. The provider was widely recognised as a trusted partner that contributed positively to the health, wellbeing and resilience of the wider community rather than focusing solely on the people it directly supported.
 

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.
The provider used information from audits, incidents, complaints, quality assurance activity and performance monitoring to identify opportunities for improvement. For example, we saw how governance records demonstrated findings resulted in action plans, reviews and ongoing monitoring. Audit findings became more focused over time, providing evidence learning had been embedded into practice. The provider had used and contributed to the development of Artificial intelligence systems (AI), implemented their phased usage, and ensured there were systems testing their robustness and gathering feedback to seek to improve these. Managers described how the technology provided daily oversight of people using the service and care staff, supporting a proactive approach to risk management. The difference is the provider tested these systems at the location with a view of wider rollout out if escalation reports highlighted areas where additional review or intervention may be required. We saw this approach enabled managers to respond quickly and provide targeted support. This strengthened oversight helped the service identify concerns at an earlier stage, reduce the risk of avoidable deterioration and promote safer, more personalised care.
We found this approach demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. The use of predictive technology supported effective governance arrangements, enhanced managerial oversight and provided reassurance that changes in people's needs were recognised and acted upon promptly.
Additionally, the provider invested heavily in workforce development through structured induction programmes, practical competency assessments, leadership coaching, supervision and ongoing training. Staff described training as engaging, relevant and beneficial to their role. Learning extended beyond mandatory training and included leadership development, dementia education and opportunities to attend conferences and workshops.
External feedback highlighted the provider's commitment to reflection, coaching and continuous development. The provider routinely reviewed information relating to medicines, visits, recruitment, response times and care reviews and any response to illnesses to drive improvement. We saw an example were a staff member recognised the early signs of sepsis for a person they were supporting. Their intervention was potentially lifesaving. From this, the provider created a sepsis workshop and video and used a staff meeting to raise awareness of warning signs for staff and the people they supported. They then rolled this out to other areas To ensure people received greater and more timely support. Learning from an event was deliberately spread across the workforce. This demonstrated an organisational culture where continuous learning was valued and actively used to enhance the quality of care people received.