Harbour Lights Community Support

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 82 (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 had a vision of ‘We aim to be the most successful and respected domiciliary care company by putting quality first in everything we do: the quality of the care and environment we offer to our service users, the quality of our people.’ This was shared by staff. One staff member said, “We don’t do these things because we have to, we do them because we want to do these things.”

The registered manager led by example, regularly encouraging and promoting quality through they behaviour and in staff meetings and discussions. One staff member explained, “[The registered manager] always appreciates what we (staff) are doing. They are always thanking us, and everyone chips in to support. Everyone has each other’s backs, for example. We all do a favour because we’ll get it back, but it’s affected the care massively and seeing the difference we make.”

Other staff member’s comments included, “I’ve done care before, and I can honestly say it’s brilliant. It’s the best service I’ve ever worked for” and “There’s nothing to improve. I wanted the personal touch, and you get it here. It’s very person-centred for people and staff.”

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.

The registered manager took every opportunity to improve the service. The registered manager developed open and inclusive relationships with people, families, staff and professionals. Staff felt very well supported by the registered manager and the service. One staff member told us, “It’s lovely, very personal, very 1 to 1. It’s the personal touch from managers. You can always get hold of someone, or you’re free to message them.”

The registered manager recognised the emotional toll on staff, for example, when delivering end of life care. Staff were given the opportunity of changing shifts should they wish.

The registered manager was vigilant to any changes in staff and provided them with opportunities to talk, or to work flexibly should this be required. One staff member described how they were supported through a bereavement. Another staff member said, “They (the service) are brilliant if you’ve got children; they work round you. If we need [the registered manager] the office door is always open or I can just ring them.” Another told us, “It’s across the whole staff team, we’re all on the same page.”

The registered manager told us, “(I’m) proud of the staff; they go above and beyond. Sometimes when I look at them, I think they really do care; it’s not just a job.”

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

The service had an open-door policy and staff felt able and confident to speak up. A staff member explained, “I speak to [the registered manager] and I put any ideas forward.” Another told us, “Definitely, I’d say whether anything needs updating or whether I’ve got concerns with people.” Another said, “I know I can report anything to anyone.”

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 told us they worked well as a team, facilitated by the registered manager. Comments included, “The staff as a team, we all get along great. It’s a lovely team, I can’t fault any of it”, “I was able to shadow a colleague, and they made sure I was comfortable” and “If ever I needed to ask, I know colleagues would be more than happy to help and give encouragement.” The registered manager confirmed, “[Staff] talk to each other; they’ve all now got a good bond. I listen to them laughing and joking (when visiting the office) and it’s nice that they all get on.”

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 registered manager and senior staff undertook a regular schedule of checks and audits. Actions from these were clearly defined and used to improve the quality of the service.

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 arranged and hosted community table-top sales in their wider premises. They were actively engaged in regularly contributing to other charity events, for example, at a local support service for people with learning disabilities. The provider also arranged a Christmas dinner at their premises for people in the community who were on their own at Christmas. This was supported by charitable donations from within the community.

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.

Staff told us there was a thread of learning and improvement throughout the service. They confirmed the registered manager actively encouraged them to develop and sought suggestions for improvement. Staff were able to suggest, for example, additional training or initiatives to better support people and also, for example, staff mental health. The registered manager was part of a local alliance of care providers where best practice was discussed.