Argent Care Limited

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 provider prioritised staff morale, retention, and a positive, inclusive working culture.

There were clear shared values and staff felt they worked collaboratively with management to deliver the goals of the service. The provider promoted inclusion, trust and communication to understand the needs of the person using the service and the staff team and ensure the delivery of high-quality compassionate care.

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 accurately appraised their service within their provider information return, recognising the early development of the service. The provider information return is information we receive from the provider to help us understand the quality of their service. They proactively worked alongside the registered manager to discuss issues and priorities for the quality of service delivery and ensure access to appropriate support and development in their role.

Staff said the management of the service was reliable and there was inclusive, supportive leadership. The person’s advocate said they had trust in the provider and spoke on behalf of the person using the service.

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

Staff had access to core policies including equality and diversity, whistleblowing, and anti-discrimination policies. The provider told us regular staff briefings and supervision reinforced understanding and application of these policies.

Staff told us they felt supported, aware of their rights, and confident to raise any concerns. They said the registered manager was very approachable and they trusted them to take appropriate action should concerns be raised, but also understood how to escalate further if necessary.
 

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 provider told us they took active steps to ensure equality, diversity, and inclusion for all staff. This included robust, fair recruitment procedures in line with their policies, to ensure all potential new staff were assessed fairly and to secure a skilled, diverse, and committed workforce. Staff completed an induction programme which included training to ensure they understood their responsibilities to treat colleagues fairly, respect differences, and work inclusively.

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.

There were clear lines of accountability and the provider was working to embed governance systems and processes in this newly established service. There were regular quality checks of staff practice, and systems in place to ensure any issues identified were addressed promptly through guidance, supervision, or retraining where necessary. These checks as well as regular audits, helped the provider to maintain oversight and ensure the safe and effective delivery of care. Policies and procedures were in place, but were standardised in places and needed further adaptation to ensure they were specifically tailored to the service provision.

The provider understood the strengths of the service and the areas to develop. Some systems such as audits, supervisions, and quality monitoring were still in the early stages of implementation due to the small size of the service at the time of our assessment. The provider used this time to focus closely on delivering high-quality care to the person they supported. The registered manager closely monitored care delivery and used this early stage to strengthen systems, gather feedback, and prepare the service for future growth.

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.

Staff and leaders were open and transparent, and they collaborated with relevant external stakeholders and agencies.

As the service was still in its early stages of operation, the provider informed us of future plans to expand partnership working. For example, working closely with nutrition and wellbeing teams, dietitians, and community nurses to meet people’s individual needs as the service developed.

They aimed to collaborate with reablement and hospital discharge teams to ensure safe, well-coordinated, and seamless transitions from hospital to home, promoting continuity of care and reducing risk.

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.

The service was new in its development and so the provider’s focus was on providing safe, consistent, and person-centred care to meet the individual needs of the person we supported. They welcomed and encouraged feedback and ideas from the person, their advocate, and the staff team, to identify ways in which the service could be improved as it became further established.

The registered manager maintained close involvement in care delivery, monitoring staff practice and addressing any issues promptly and promoting safe and consistent practice. They were committed to their own professional development and leadership to enhance the quality of the service.