Creative Support - Sonali Gardens Extra Care Service

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

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 provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture that promoted openness, inclusion and person-centred care. Leaders described working in line with the organisation's values and told us they wanted everyone coming into Sonali Gardens to feel respected and welcomed. Staff understood these values and described a positive workplace culture characterised by teamwork, support and mutual respect. Leaders told us they regularly reviewed business plans and ensured staff received the training and information they needed to meet the aims of the service.

There was evidence of collaborative working and involvement. Staff spoke positively about regular staff meetings, supervisions and opportunities to contribute to discussions about people's care and service improvements. Leadership encouraged staff development and promoted a culture where learning was valued.

People and relatives were involved in the service and community events. A relative described staff as "really welcoming”. Feedback also confirmed people, relatives and staff views were sought on the quality of the service.

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 provider had capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders who were visible within the service and supportive of staff. Staff consistently described leaders as approachable and available. A member of staff told us, "Yes, the manager is very supportive and approachable," and another member of staff said, "They are very good, we can talk to them" and" We can come talk to her about anything." Leaders promoted staff development and were committed to building skills and confidence within the workforce. Staff described opportunities to progress through qualifications and management training, with leaders encouraging career development. Leaders also accessed support from senior managers, quality teams and organisational audits to continuously improve their own practice and oversight of the service.

Feedback obtained during the inspection confirmed leadership were present to support people, staff and relatives and that staff felt able to approach leaders when needed.

The provider promoted a culture where staff were encouraged to raise concerns, provide feedback and challenge poor practice. Staff understood safeguarding and whistleblowing processes and knew how to escalate concerns if they felt issues had not been addressed appropriately. Leaders described having whistleblowing arrangements in place and staff understood how to use them.

Staff told us they would report concerns and escalate them where necessary. A member of staff said they would report concerns to management and, if no action was taken, would use whistleblowing procedures. Another staff member described escalating safeguarding concerns beyond the manager if needed.

There were regular opportunities for staff to share views through meetings and supervision.

The provider valued diversity and promoted an inclusive culture for both people using the service and staff. Leaders told us they respected people's cultures and beliefs and celebrated cultural and religious events including Eid and Christmas. Equality and diversity principles were embedded within recruitment processes and leaders described treating people fairly and without discrimination.

The service recognised and responded to the cultural and linguistic needs of the community. Information was available in multiple languages, including Bengali, Mandarin and Urdu, and surveys were adapted to improve accessibility and engagement. This helped support effective communication and inclusion.

Staff generally spoke positively about working at the service, describing good teamwork, mutual respect and supportive relationships with colleagues. Inspection findings also confirmed people were not discriminated against because of protected characteristics and the service worked to be inclusive.

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.

Audit systems covered areas such as finances, spot checks, safeguarding, medicines, reviews of care records and staff performance.

Leaders used information from incidents, complaints, audits and feedback to identify learning and drive improvement. Accidents and incidents were reviewed, lessons learned were discussed at team meetings and changes were communicated to staff. Inspection feedback confirmed quality assurance systems were actively used to improve the service.

There was clear management oversight and leadership support. Leaders had access to quality teams, finance audits and organisational reviews to help ensure the service remained sustainable and compliant.

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 worked in partnership with a range of health, social care and community organisations to support people's outcomes. Staff and leaders described positive multidisciplinary working and regular communication with health professionals, social workers, housing providers and commissioners. Leaders gave examples of collaborative working to support admissions, reviews, health needs and community participation. The service worked alongside housing providers, held regular meetings with landlords and escalated concerns appropriately when required. Leaders also described working with voluntary organisations and community resources to support people's broader needs.

People were encouraged to remain connected to their communities and families. Inspection feedback also highlighted good working relationships with local community and education groups.

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.

Leaders demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement through regular review of incidents, accidents, complaints, audits and staff feedback. Learning was shared through team meetings, supervision and management forums. Staff were supported through ongoing training, refresher courses, competency checks and development opportunities. Leaders encouraged staff to increase their skills and take on greater responsibilities, helping to create a learning culture within the service.

Leaders showed they could respond to emerging issues and adapt practice. For example, they worked with partners regarding heatwave planning, increased welfare checks, provided information for people and staff, and secured additional equipment to reduce risks associated with high temperatures. Leaders also attended conferences and external meetings to share learning and identify opportunities for improvement.

Leaders used feedback and learning to improve people's experiences and outcomes and demonstrated a commitment to ongoing service development.