A1 Healthcare Solutions

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 ratedasrequires improvement.This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 61 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The management team promoted a positive and open culture that was shared with staff. People told us they felt respected and involved in their care planning.Aperson said,“I feel confident enough to approach the manager. They always pick it up and do better on it.”Staff described the culture as diverse and inclusive,stating,“It’svery open. If I had any concerns, I know I can approach the manager and know it will not be judged and will be listened to.”The service values were reflected in practice, with staff supporting people’s faith and cultural needs, such as attending church and preparing culturallyappropriate meals.

The registered managerdemonstratedcommitment and compassion,maintainingstrong relationships with people and families. Staff told us,“My manager puts our clients first and the work we do is person-centred care.”The manager was accessible and responsive, often providing direct support and adapting care arrangements to meet individual needs.

Staff felt able to raise concerns without fear of reprisal. One staff member said,“If I had any concerns, I know I can approach the manager and know it will not be judged and will be listened to.”The whistleblowing policy was discussed during induction, and staff confirmed theyunderstood how to escalate concerns. Staff meetings were held monthly, providing opportunities to share feedback and discuss improvements.

The service promoted equality and diversity within the team and in care delivery. Staff described a family-oriented environment where cultural needs were respected. Examples included supporting a person to attend church without wearing uniforms tomaintaindignity and celebrating Diwali with culturallyappropriate meals. However, the training matrix showed gaps in equality and diversity training, which the manager acknowledged and planned to address.

Governance systems were noteffective orrobust.Auditsfailed toidentifyissues withmedicines,riskassessmentsand care records. For example, care plans lacked sufficient detail to guide staff unfamiliar with people’s needs, such as catheter care, medicationprofilesand hoistinginstructions.

While audits and quality assurance surveys were in place, improvementsidentifiedwere not always implemented promptly. The registered manager acknowledged these gaps and outlined plans for improvement, including enhanced training and clearer documentation.While the registered manager provided care and support to people alongsideone member ofcare staff, this had a negative impact on sustainability plans for future growth and development of the service.

The service worked with external professionals, including social workers and district nurses, to support people’s needs.The manager described collaborative visits and communication with healthcare professionals but acknowledged challenges in securingtimelyresponses from GPs and social services. Community engagement wasevidentin supporting people’s faith-based activities, such as attending church, but broader partnership working required strengthening.

Systems to support continuous learning and improvement were developing but not fully embedded. While theregisteredmanager reviewed care practices and sought feedback from people and families, there was limited evidence of structured learning from incidents or audits. Staff confirmed they received regular supervision and some training, but gaps remained in specialist areas such as cathetercare and equalityand diversity. Theregisteredmanager was undertaking further professional development and planned to enhance staff training and introduce accessible information formats.