Home Instead Rugby

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 89 (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 provider and leaders’ commitment of a shared vision, strategy and culture were measured by the positive outcomes people experienced, and their consistent high praise of the service they received, and of the staff. A relative told us, “The service provided is great, staff are wonderful at what they do, absolutely recommend Home Instead, very happy with the service.” A second relative said, “Definitely a well-run company. I know all the management, very impressive, extremely good, no concerns, definitely happy with every aspect of the care. How much easier it has made my life for us all.”

Staff spoke passionately about their role and demonstrated commitment in delivering high quality care and good outcomes for people. A member of staff said, “This organisation really does genuinely care about people. It is all about what can we do to make their lives better and I am really lucky to be able to have a job like this.” Another staff member said, “They very much instill the ethos into our everyday working. It is all about person centred care. The client, their dignity and respect are of the most importance.”

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

The provider and leaders were experienced, knowledgeable and supportive of the delivery of high-quality care and modelled inclusive behaviours which were visible to staff. A member of staff said, “My supervisor, [name], is amazing; they are ‘number one’. You can contact them at any time of day, and they’ll call me straight back. They are everything you’d want in a supervisor, kind, understanding, and supportive. I am visited every week for formal supervision, and they check in on me to make sure I’m okay. They make the job so much easier.” Another member of staff said, “Our training manager is exceptional too. They make the training interesting and show us exactly what is needed and is always available for that ad hoc support too.”

Relatives praised highly the management and leadership of the service, and their ability to successfully deliver. A relative told us, “Good consistency of care as the management flows down from top to bottom, across the board.”

Staff were encouraged to develop within their role. A member of staff told us, “I’m a senior now. I go out and do support visits and line manage carers. I don’t have a leadership qualification, but they saw something in me to progress my career within the company.”

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

The registered manager and others in leadership roles, on occasions delivered care and support to people where required. The registered manager stated this helped to maintain positive relationships both with their care colleagues and with those who received care and support.

People and relatives told us the registered manager, and the leadership team were receptive, and visited them in their homes. A person told us, “The manager has visited me at home.”

The staff handbook and newsletters were provided which shared information, and encouraged staff to be involved, sharing their views and ideas. The provider had a whistle-blower policy, which staff could use to share information of concern. A member of staff told us, “I feel able to speak up when I have problems. I raised a problem, and they were straight on it and it’s been resolved.”

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’s policies and procedures supported equality, diversity and inclusion in the workforce. The registered manager understood their responsibilities in line with the Equality Act 2010 and its implications for employees. The registered manager was aware of their role in upholding the principles of the Equality Act.

Staff comments evidenced the provider’s policy and procedure relating to equality, diversity and inclusion of the workforce was adopted. For example, staff had been recruited post the age of retirement, and staff working hours considered their personal care commitments. A staff member told us, “They’re an amazing employee, very fair, and it’s a two-way street. We get all the support we need, and they’ve been brilliant at accommodating my shifts around my childcare/family commitments. Very flexible.” The outcome of provider’s staff surveys had not raised any concerns with regards to equality, diversity and inclusion.

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 provider’s systems and processes to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the service continued to ensure risks were identified and mitigated, enabling and empowering people to remain in their own homes, with the support of staff.

The registered manager was aware of the need to inform key stakeholders, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of events and incidents. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities around health and safety, the overseeing and reporting of safeguarding, quality assurance and risk management.

Regular checks on safety and standard of care were carried out through the monitoring of staff which included, annual appraisals, supervision and support visits. Staff told us, “I have formal supervisions with my manager every six months.” Another member of staff said, “We have supervision where I can talk about any problems I have.”

The service was well organised and managed. A relative told us, “The company is very well run, office staff are always available. A second relative said, “Home Instead is extremely well run, manager always phones me back.” Staff were equally positive in their praise. A staff member told us, “I can’t fault the company. The consistency of Home Instead is brilliant.”

Systems ensured effective communication between the registered manager and leadership team, people who use the service, relatives and staff. A relative told us, “The office staff communicate very well by phone, e-mail and newsletter.” A staff member said, “Management are constantly updating us, which is really great. Communication is excellent, I can’t really fault them.”

A monthly newsletter included information about training, reminders of the importance of recording information, a welcome to new members of staff and expressions of thanks for the dedication and hard work of care staff.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

The provider continued to be a dementia champion, and worked in partnership with several organisations, which included the Homecare Association, Alzheimer’s Society and Parkinson’s U.K.

The provider held Macmillan Coffee mornings, to which people using the service, their relatives and staff were invited to. A member of staff told us, “It’s Macmillan Morning today, they [leadership team] try and create a place that we can meet up. People we support and care for can come. They do raffles, at Christmas and Easter and do a lot to try and create a bit of a community. There is always something going on.” A relative told us, “My [person] attends the Macmillan coffee morning at the Home Instead office.”

Staff, where commissioned to do so, supported people to be involved within their wider community, which included attending dementia cafés and local groups.

The registered manager informed us the staff team worked collaboratively with partner agencies, such as healthcare professionals, local authorities and training providers by sharing information during multidisciplinary meetings and care reviews. This approach enabled the staff team to learn from wider expertise and ensure co-ordinated support for people.

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always 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 provider had continued to focus on and was able to demonstrate continued improvement following our previous inspection to retains its rating. The provider, registered manager, leadership team and staffs approach continually reviewed and measured the impact, through outcomes, of the service they delivered.

All parties’ views were regularly sought to drive improvement, and staff were supported to gain experience through training and opportunities to widen their knowledge. Staff were offered City and Guilds accredited training in Parkinson’s and Dementia. Oliver McGowan accredited training had been provided, and employees were encouraged to undertake vocational qualifications in care and diplomas.

A paperless service along with streamlined technology enabled people, their relatives and staff to have access to care records and information in real time. The ‘Birdie App’ was consistently praised by people’s relatives and staff as being an effective source of information and facilitated good communication.

People and their relatives were overwhelmingly positive in their feedback about the service, and told us they had, and would continue to recommend the service. A person told us, “My impression of Home Instead is outstanding.” A relative told us, “We couldn’t manage without the service. I could not cope. I would recommend the service and indeed I have done. They are all very efficient, caring and supportive staff.” Another relative said, “Definitely recommend the company, and I have done. Totally trust them, all the carers I have met are kind, thoughtful and care about my [person].”

The provider was trialling an AI system, known as Care Co Pilot, which reviews the visit notes completed by care staff, and categorises them into red, amber and green. The registered manager had reviewed the analysis of data gathered via Care Co Pilot and compared it to their findings when reviewing site visits notes by reading them. The registered manager found to date, the Care Co Pilot had identified issues, they had not, and had saved staff time, enabling better use of staff resources. The registered manager advised anything identified as red or amber was escalated, to ensure the information was already known and acted upon. For example, a site visit note had recorded an activity not within the person’s care plan. This was because of a change to a person’s prescribed medicine, which the staff had been made aware of when visiting the person’s home.

Home Instead Rugby had been recognised for 3 consecutive years as being in the top 20 of care providers in the West Midlands.

Home Instead had received recognition at the Home Care Awards 2024. Individual members of staff had also been recognised, by the Stars of Social Care Awards, which recognises care homes and care at home services, in several categories. A member of staff had received one of these awards for ‘The New to Care Award’ category, and others had been nominated for future awards. A member of staff told us, “My line manager is [name]. She is great, she puts her heart and soul into this company. She is up for an award, in the West Midlands Care Awards – Team category.”