GoodOaks Homecare - Sussex South

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 and management assured good-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 managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted good-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 68 (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.

Leaders and staff shared a common understanding of what good care looked like, and how they should work together to achieve it. They did this successfully, which ensured good outcomes for people. Staff spoke of the organisations PRIDE values (Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Empathy). The provider had an app they implemented to ensure positive feedback from people and relatives was shared with staff. Staff spoke highly of management being supportive to them. One staff member said, “If we do something good, we are praised for it, and I feel like I have done a good job.” Staff told us that they feel able to raise any concerns and are confident they will be dealt with. One staff member told us, “The manager is always available to us and promotes honesty”.

The provider had 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 did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

The service is required to have a registered manager. At the time of our assessment, there was no registered manager in place. However, the provider was overseeing the service. They were supporting a new manager who was in the process of registering with CQC.

Leaders were actively involved in all aspects of the service. They knew the service, people and staff well and led with openness and honesty. People, relatives and partners spoke positively about the service. Comments included, “The manager is very proactive”, “I have spoken to the manager, and she was friendly and helpful” and “[Provider] is great. We really like her and are really impressed with her. She demonstrates that she really cares.” Staff told us leaders were approachable and supportive. Staff felt they were listened to and that they were kept well‑informed about relevant updates and changes. A staff member said, “[Provider] has compassion. She is extremely knowledgeable and is a good leader.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. However, it was not always clear how feedback was used to drive improvements.

Leaders were open, transparent and responsive throughout the assessment process. They told us they had had identified gaps in how they actively promoted staff empowerment. Their action plan included providing more opportunities for staff to give feedback through regular supervisions and staff meetings and streamlining processes so they could consistently evidence how their feedback would be used to drive improvements. However, this will take time to fully embed in practice.

Despite these issues, we were assured the service had a positive culture of honesty and openness where staff felt they could speak up was fully embedded. The provider had a whistle-blowing policy in place. Staff were aware of this and how to raise any concerns if they needed to. Comments included, “I have not needed to speak up but I know that I can if I needed to. [Provider] is always available to us and promotes honesty” and “No concerns in this area. I went to see them about a matter and their door is always open.”

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 had an open and inclusive recruitment procedure. The provider described how they recruited staff based on their values. Policies and procedures supported diversity and inclusion within the service. The provider promoted an inclusive culture, where staff were treated fairly and respected. A staff member said, “I can honestly say I have no concerns about the service or how I am treated. I have nothing negative to say.”

The provider did not always have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability or good governance. They did not always act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, or share this securely with others when appropriate.

At the start of this assessment, the provider was open and honest about identifying some safety issues in the service. Their service improvement plan had initially focused on stabilising the service to ensure consistent staffing levels and that people received safe care. Feedback from people, relatives and staff demonstrated these actions had worked. The provider told us they were now focusing on quality issues which we have reflected throughout this report. They had an action plan in place to address areas of concern. Where we identified some additional minor concerns with their governance processes and advised strengthening them, the provider was receptive to feedback and took immediate actions. However, it will take time for improvements to fully embed in practice.

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.

Records demonstrated how leaders and staff worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure good outcomes for people. Partners shared positive feedback about staff and leaders supporting local charity and community projects. A partner said, “[Provider] has been consistently supportive of my work for [dementia charity]. She assisted me during a fundraising event and has also undertaken her own fundraising for the charity.” The provider had setup a memory café at their local office to share learning and provide support for people living with dementia and their relatives who supported them. Partners shared positive feedback about this. Comments included, “They provided free tea, cakes, and activities for several people living with dementia. It was encouraging to see the enthusiasm of their staff and the positive, respectful interactions. It was clear there was a genuinely positive relationship between attendees and the GoodOaks team” and “I have had the opportunity to attend a few coffee mornings where families and clients with dementia can come for community time. It is very welcoming and a relaxed space where there is time to talk and share experiences and play games. I like the fact that staff and clients get the opportunity to interact in a relaxed, non-threatening environment. The clients and families I have met and spoken to are very complimentary of the work that GoodOaks Sussex are doing.”

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.

At the start of the assessment, the provider was open and honest about implementing service improvement plans to focus on safety, governance, workforce stability and operational systems. The service also introduced regular governance meetings to cover topics such as compliance, incidents, staffing, care planning and medication risk management. People, relatives and staff felt the service was improving. One staff member said, “There has been a positive change for the service since the time that I started. All my colleagues get on well with each other and management.”

The provider actively contributed to research and sharing learning. They worked with numerous charities to share experiences and learning. The provider had started fundraising for local charities. They encouraged staff and visitors to participate in a virtual rowing event from Worthing to Tasmania (Australia). The provider told us about their personal experience of supporting a loved one with dementia and the challenges they faced. They explained how it inspired them to support people living with dementia and their loved ones. They said, “Every day when I get on that darn rowing machine I remind myself that rowing for 2-3 hours a day is easier than looking after someone with dementia. Carers never get a day off. They all deserve medals.” A partner told us, “GoodOaks Sussex is all about shared learning; engagement and improving outcomes and raising money for charity is one way of doing this effectively.”