Affinity Supporting People (North Lancashire and Burnley)

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 rating for this service which registered in November 2022. 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 79 (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’s values and culture were clearly defined and consistently understood by people using the service, their relatives, and staff. Leaders demonstrated the organisation’s values through their daily practice, behaviours, and interactions, ensuring these were embedded across the service. Values-based interviews formed part of the provider’s approach to recruitment. Prospective employees were asked a series of values-based questions when interviewed, and the provider’s expected values and behaviours were reinforced through induction and ongoing training.

Staff described a positive and supportive culture and were able to recognise the organisation’s core values in practice. The provider actively celebrated examples of staff demonstrating these values through its engagement app, helping to reinforce a culture of recognition, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Staff were also supported to understand, identify, and challenge the risks associated with closed cultures. This promoted openness, transparency, and accountability, enabling people to receive care in an environment where they felt safe, respected, and empowered.

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 registered manager, supported by the provider was a skilled leader who showed capable compassionate and inclusive behaviours towards people supported, their relatives and staff. The provider ensured the registered manager and leaders were supported to be open and accountable in their roles.

Staff praised the management team. Comments included; “I like the teamwork, I am happy, I can speak with the service manager anytime.” Relatives told us they were confident in leaders, one relative told us, “I am most impressed with [Name] they have gone up through the ranks. [Name] know people and they know her.”

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

People told us they felt comfortable raising concerns with staff and were assured that any issues brought to their attention would be taken seriously. Staff consistently reported feeling confident to raise concerns and demonstrated an understanding of the processes available. Relatives spoke positively about their ability to share feedback and discuss concerns.

There were a variety of options available to support people to raise concerns and provide feedback. These included a confidential whistleblowing hotline for staff, as well as access to Freedom to Speak Up Champions who offered independent advice, guidance, and support. People could also provide direct feedback through QR code systems, while regular surveys and key worker meetings created additional opportunities for individuals to share their views and experiences.

The provider had systems in place to ensure people’s experiences were routinely reviewed and monitored. Regular tenant meetings within each tenancy provided further opportunities for people to express their views and raise any concerns.

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.

Evidence demonstrated that recruitment procedures were clear and promoted equality, diversity, and inclusion. Staff consistently reported feeling respected and included within the workplace. Feedback regarding interactions with sponsored staff was positive. In addition, some staff were able to describe specific examples of how their individual identity and equality-related needs had been considered and supported.

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.

People received consistent good quality and safe care because the provider and leaders had robust governance and oversight systems in place to monitor and address safety incidents, the quality of care, care records, staffing levels and the quality of people’s home environments.

The registered manager had optimum oversight of quality and safety issues because the electronic systems updated automatically. The provider and registered manager reviewed and analysed data to identify themes and shared this with staff through regular team meetings and supervisions.

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 in partnership with several different agencies involved in people’s care, support and treatment. This included the local authority, learning disability teams, health practitioners, commissioners of services and quality teams. We received positive feedback from partner agencies we contacted.

Staff and leaders also supported people to contribute to their local communities and get involved with a variety of social and charitable organisations.

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’s quality team completed thematic reviews across the organisation and shared any learning with staff teams. An increased use of digital records and technologies had led to improved opportunities for oversight and learning. The provider had worked with a university and received a grant to implement electronic medicine records.

The provider supported leaders and staff to develop their potential and undertake qualifications and training which complemented their roles and interests.