Reconnect Care Agency Nottingham

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

Leaders set a clear vision and positive culture. Values and behaviours for staff were in place and were set out in the service user guide and staff handbook.

Staff were clearly aware of the standards of care that were expected of them when supporting people who used the service. A staff member commented, “I ensure people are treated fairly by providing personalised support, respecting individuality, and promoting independence and confidence so they can achieve their goals and live positive lives.”

Another staff member commented, “Yes, this is a really nice place to work. The atmosphere feels supportive, and the staff genuinely look out for each other. There’s a strong team spirit, and you never feel like you’re left on your own, there’s always someone willing to help or share their experience. The work can be busy, but the staff are friendly, approachable, and committed to giving good care, which makes a huge difference. It’s the kind of environment where i feel valued, respected, and able to grow in my role.”

Leaders were skilled, compassionate, and inclusive. Leaders monitored the service closely and took action to improve the service. Documentation was in place that showed leaders had a clear overview of the quality of care provided by the service. Team meetings showed clear communication between the registered manager and staff.

People consistently praised the manager. A relative said, “Anything we need to discuss with her, she has been ready straightaway. Very approachable. She would put everything down and go and do it.” Another relative said, “The management is extraordinarily good. They have been reliable over a considerable period of time, 20 months of faultless service. No-one else is as trustworthy as this organisation. I literally don’t worry. They are exceptional in comparison to any other home service provider I use, it’s fantastic.” Another relative said, “I have [the registered manager] on WhatsApp so I ring her or message her straightaway. Yes, if she is not available, I will leave a message on her answer machine and she will ring me straight back once she picks up the message. Out of hours, I think the latest was the other week, about 7 p.m., but she has always answered.”

Leadership was described as strong, supportive and visible. A staff member commented, “The management team is approachable, and they lead in a way that makes a real difference to how we work day to day. They’re visible on the floor, they check in with staff, and they make it easy to raise concerns or ask for support without feeling judged. What I appreciate most is that they listen. If something isn’t working, they don’t dismiss it, they look for solutions and involve the team in decisions. Their leadership style feels supportive rather than top down. They set clear expectations, but they also recognise the pressures we face and encourage open communication.”

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

People felt able to speak up and raise concerns. Staff were confident raising issues with management and felt they would be acted upon. Staff understood the organisation’s whistleblowing procedures and were clear about how to escalate concerns if they felt people were at risk. A raising concerns, speaking up and whistleblowing policy was in place. This was also highlighted in the staff handbook.

A staff member commented, “Yes, I would feel comfortable raising concerns with the manager. The environment feels open and supportive, and the manager encourages honest communication. I get the sense that concerns are taken seriously and dealt with professionally, which makes it easier to speak up when something doesn’t feel right. Knowing that the focus is always on good practice and service user safety gives me confidence to raise issues early rather than holding back.”

Another staff member commented, “Yes, I do know how to blow the whistle on poor practice. As an HCA, I understand that safeguarding service user always comes first, and if I ever see something that puts someone at risk, I have a responsibility to speak up. I would follow the organisation’s whistleblowing policy, which usually means reporting concerns to the manager or senior in charge. If the issue wasn’t taken seriously or I felt it wasn’t safe to raise it internally, I know there are external bodies I could contact as well. I have never encountered poor practice to prompt whistle blowing.”

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. Policies were in place to support workforce equality. Staff raised no concerns in this area.

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.

There were effective governance and management systems. Clear governance processes were in place, and a comprehensive audit schedule was followed to monitor the service. A range of policies were in place regarding information governance and the use of information. Notifications were made to the CQC as required.

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 service worked in partnership with others for people’s benefit. Processes were in place to ensure suitable referrals to other community partners and agencies and had been appropriately followed by staff.

The provider focused on continuous learning and improvement across the organisation.

The service was committed to continuous learning and improvement. Staff completed a range of audits and areas for improvement were discussed at team meetings and through staff supervisions and appraisals.