A-Star Care Solutions-Main Office

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 newly registered 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.

The service delivered care grounded in strong person‑centred values and prioritised the development of positive, trusted relationships between staff and people using the service.

The provider’s ethos focused on delivering compassionate care with meaningful interactions, delivered at a pace and in a style that suited each individual. Staff consistently understood and promoted these values in practice. A relative told us that, “You can tell that they (staff) really care.”

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, 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 nominated individual and the registered manager maintained a strong and visible presence within the service and led by example. Families recognised this leadership approach. One family member described the nominated individual as “Amazing. His energy and commitment to it (service) is just boundless.”

The registered manager was suitably qualified and continued to undertake relevant formal education. They also attended external networking groups to maintain up‑to‑date knowledge and ensure the service applied current best practice.

The provider fostered a positive and open culture where staff felt able to speak up and confident that their views would be listened to. A whistleblowing policy was in place, and staff told us they felt confident to raise concerns. They said they believed managers would listen to them and take appropriate action.

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 service employed a diverse workforce, and staff told us they felt treated fairly. They raised no concerns about discrimination or unfair treatment. Where English was not a staff member’s first language, the provider arranged external support to help them develop skills in recording and writing care notes accurately and effectively.

Managers actively recruited staff with a range of language skills and engaged with local communities to promote employment opportunities. The provider also supported staff with reasonable adjustments to meet religious needs and practices. The service recognised and celebrated a range of religious festivals, which further promoted inclusion and respect across the workforce.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes.

The provider maintained oversight through a programme of audits and monitoring activities. Managers completed practice observations, medicines competency assessments, and spot checks to ensure staff consistently followed good practice. Where audits or checks identified areas for improvement, managers developed detailed action plans and used this information to drive service improvements.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services could work seamlessly for people. The provider informs that they have systems in pace and know when and where to share relevant information to ensure learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

When organising community events, the provider ensured accessible signposting information was available so people could contact relevant local services. The provider shared examples of people accessing services they may not otherwise have been able to use as a result of effective information sharing and timely onward referrals.

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.

The provider supported staff with ongoing learning and development to enable them to contribute to safe and effective practice. A mental health lead had recently joined the service and was developing policies and training to ensure staff were confident and skilled in supporting people with mental health needs. Managers were enrolled on the required training to support people with a learning disability and autistic people, and the provider planned to roll this training out to other staff as appropriate.