Pinnacle Care Professionals Ltd

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

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 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 93 (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 registered manager and staff team demonstrated an exceptionally strong and unified sense of direction, underpinned by a culture where staff and leaders worked together with a clear, shared purpose. Staff consistently described a workplace where values were brought to life in everyday practice, and where everyone was committed to providing people with the best possible, person led care and support.

The registered manager encouraged staff to challenge poor practice, reflect on when things had gone well and what could be done better, and these reflective discussions were held as part of team meetings to encourage group participation. Staff felt this approach and sharing learning experiences helped their development and build knowledge. This approach resulted in people receiving quality care through improved practice.

The whole team approach and positive culture of the service was apparent, and staff were proud of the organisation and the work they did. One staff member said, “Because of the kind of journey we [staff team] have all been on I think what would [registered manager] say about this and it’s embedded into our practice. We all know what Pinnacle does and does not do and yes at meetings we talk about it [values]. The values are very clear and what we are about as a company is embedded.”

The registered manager modelled openness, willingness to learn and a commitment to doing what was right for people. Staff told us this created a culture where they felt confident to speak up, challenge issues and work together towards shared goals. This collective sense of purpose strengthened teamwork and ensured people received support that was enabling, caring and respectful.

The service had exceptionally inclusive leadership who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. The registered manager and the wider management team had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They always did so with openness and honesty.

People, relatives and all staff spoke highly of the registered manager and communicated their confidence in their skills, ability, leadership and empathetic approach. One staff member said, “[Registered manager] is a very hardworking manager, the most hardworking manager I have seen, they pull their weight, give support, are very thorough and give a lot of feedback which I like, it’s constructive.” A person we spoke with told us, “I completely trust [name], the manager, and I will always talk to them. I have a really good relationship with them and they are very respectful and kind and professional”.

The registered manager demonstrated a clear commitment to continuous improvement and the organisations training ensured all staff had equal access to high‑quality development opportunities, including specialist programmes in leadership, and bespoke care. Staff told us they were encouraged to pursue training that aligned with both their professional aspirations and personal interests, ensuring equitable access to progression and skill‑building across the workforce.

The registered manager was described as approachable and consistently supportive. Staff said they were able to share ideas and raise concerns with confidence and were listened to and responded to constructively. The registered managers leadership shaped a culture where staff felt empowered to develop and encouraged collaborative work and peer support.

Overall, leadership at the service was outstanding. The registered manager demonstrated capability, enthusiasm and compassion, resulting in a motivated, committed and confident workforce who consistently supported excellent outcomes for people.

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

The registered manager’s open and honest approach embedded this culture across the team through role modelling this behaviour and actively encouraging staff to speak out about concerns. Staff consistently told us they felt confident to raise concerns and speak honestly without fear of repercussions. One staff member said, “If I had any concerns I would say to [registered manager] I’ve got concerns and very quickly she will say let’s talk through this and we will piece things together.”

People and their relatives were also supported to speak up. The complaints policy was available in people’s preferred communication methods, ensuring it was accessible to everyone. All relatives we spoke with said they felt able to raise a concern and were confident that the registered manager would respond promptly and professionally.

This strong culture of openness ensured that concerns were identified early, ideas for improvement were welcomed, and people benefited from a service that continually improved.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Diversity within the workforce was actively valued, and the registered manager promoted an environment where staff felt confident, supported and able to bring their authentic selves to work. Staff consistently told us they felt respected, valued and included.We spoke with staff, including staff with some additional support needs, who gave examples of how they were effectively supported by the registered manager to be able to fulfil their role at work without feeling belittled or “different” from the rest of the workforce. One staff member told us, “[Registered manager] has a lot of knowledge and skills, a very qualified person. I do not feel intimidated by their knowledge and skills they always, always listen.”

The registered manager talked with us about how they had made adjustments to accommodate individual staff including the development of the “school run” rota to support working Mums to remain in work and using an individual digital device for another staff member to support them with recording information.

All staff had been given equitable opportunities to access additional training and work towards a qualification, and all staff had completed equality, diversity and inclusion training and had access to the organisations policy guidance.

Overall, the registered managers approach to equality, diversity and inclusion had a clear and positive impact on staff wellbeing, commitment and team culture as well as the quality of personalised care people received.

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 had established clear responsibilities within the team and had recognised, as the business had grown, the necessity to increase the office-based workforce to maintain effective systems of accountability, governance and strong oversight. This had included the recruitment of a human resources manager and a care coordinator. The registered manager spoke with us about the appointment of the care coordinator, “Last years annual survey, a lot of staff were saying the rotas are changing so often, I was doing that job [care coordinator/rotas] as well, it has been such a fabulous appointment as it has settled a lot down for staff. Staff may not understand that the feedback led to that, but it has.”

The registered manager acted on the best available information relating to risk, performance and outcomes. They used a comprehensive range of audits which they tracked using spreadsheets to maintain excellent oversight of the service. Information was analysed promptly and shared securely with staff and external professionals when appropriate, ensuring decisions were well‑informed, coordinated and focused on improving people’s experiences.

These strong governance arrangements enabled the team to consistently deliver high‑quality, safe and sustainable care including for people with complex mental health and physical care needs which had positively impacted the quality of care and outcomes for people.

The registered manager demonstrated an exceptional commitment to working in partnership and maintaining strong, effective relationships with a wide range of professionals and community organisations. They clearly understood their duty to collaborate, and services worked seamlessly around people’s needs. Information and learning were shared openly with partners, ensuring that support remained coordinated, responsive and focused on improving outcomes for individuals.

Staff worked closely and proactively with external professionals to ensure people received the right support at the right time achieving positive outcomes for people through careful monitoring, collaborative planning and consistent communication between people and relatives, staff and health partners. This collaborative approach ensured that everyone involved in a person’s care had a clear, shared understanding of what worked well and what mattered most to each individual.

The registered manager was keen to engage with and support the local community and used providers of local produce to create hampers for staff at Christmas meaning partnership working was not only with health and social care professionals but extended to the wider community.

The registered manager actively contributed to care forums and a social care publication writing an article called “The State of Care” highlighting what good care at home looked like and raising the profile of care staff which they felt was often a role that was diminished. They said, “To be a carer is to step into someone’s life at its most vulnerable and remain steady. The impact of this work reaches far beyond the individual receiving care. It steadies families when they are exhausted or overwhelmed. It preserves relationships….” This approach underlined the importance the registered manager placed on working collaboratively with everyone involved in someone’s life and the impact this has.

As a result of these strong partnerships, people experienced coordinated, holistic support that enhanced their wellbeing, independence and community inclusion. The team’s commitment to collaborative working, that extended beyond professional engagement, ensured that this way of working was embedded and sustainable, risks were reduced and people benefited from care that placed their needs, preferences and wishes at the heart of their support.

The provider demonstrated an exceptional and embedded commitment to learning, improvement and innovation. Staff consistently reflected on their practice, adapted their approaches and enhanced the person led care they provided. Reflective practice and learning was viewed as a continuous process that directly improved outcomes for people using the service.

Comprehensive audits were consistently carried out and were used as meaningful tools for development rather than simple compliance checks. The registered manager analysed patterns, identified strengths and highlighted opportunities to further improve care and learn from when things did not go well. Identified areas for improvement and future development of the service was translated into a clear action plan. This was a ‘live’ document and progress was monitored, and actions were evaluated to ensure they resulted in measurable improvements in people’s experiences. The registered manager had also adopted the use of case studies as a further way of demonstrating these achievements.

We saw the registered manager and team used innovative practice to develop person centred ways of supporting which improved people’s outcomes and control over their care and support. When new ways of supporting people were found to be effective such as bespoke communication tools this learning was shared across the team through secure communication channels and meetings which ensured people received consistent, high‑quality support.

The registered manager championed a learning culture where staff felt safe to question, reflect and improve. Lessons learnt from audits, incidents, concerns and external best practice were shared. Staff consistently described feeling valued, heard, and supported to develop their skills, which strengthened their confidence and contributed to consistently high‑quality, person centred care. One staff member told us, “[Registered manager] always listens and it’s a very active listening. They are someone who is still learning and has that quality and listens. I think they value what people have to say.”