Springfield Healthcare (Sheffield)

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 71 (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 were knowledgeable about their regulatory responsibilities and also about their priorities for the development of the service. Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and felt involved in decisions about the service. Staff told us management were approachable, and they felt comfortable speaking with them and raising concerns. Staff overall were positive about the culture of the service and staff morale. Staff told us, “Yes, it’s a good place to work” and “I am happy to work for Springfield. I think it is a good place to work for as they maintain professionalism and good work ethics.”

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. Systems and processes were in place to provide support to staff and promote a positive, open and inclusive culture. One staff when asked if they felt listened to told us, “Yes I feel listened to.” Another staff commented, “Yes, actually they do listen when we talk. When we started, we were all over the place and we went to [Name of Managers] and asked to speak to them and suggested why don’t people do areas. They actually instigated that, and it means the clients know who to expect walk through the door and builds the relationship. Clients love that.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Systems were in place for people to speak up and for their voices to be heard. Most people and their families felt that if they raised an issue they would be listened to. We saw examples of how people’s views and opinions were sought. A customer review form was in place, and a customer survey was in progress at the time of our visit. The provider had a complaints policy which included ways in which concerns could be raised, the process for dealing with any concerns and further steps that could be taken if complainants were unhappy with the resolution. The provider was responsive to concerns we shared with them from people and families and was keen to resolve these and further improve communication and service provision.

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. We received feedback from staff that when needed adjustments were available for them to support them with their personal circumstances. Staff who were on a sponsorship license and had transferred from other providers told us of the support they received before and during transfer. One staff told us, “Springfield gave you support. They cemented in our minds that we had made the right decision [about transferring].” The provider had policies and procedures in place regarding equality, diversity and inclusion and staff had received training on equality and diversity.

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 had structures in place to monitor and improve the quality of care they delivered. Systems such as audits and quality monitoring were used to check the quality and safety of the service and actions noted to be in place to address issues highlighted. However, we found some concerns in relation to the quality of some care records. Although there was no evidence of impact to people and plans were in place to address these shortfalls, action could have been more timely to reduce any potential risks to people. We asked the provider to prioritise care records for people who may be at higher risk and set timescales for completion. The provider showed an understanding of their responsibility to inform relevant partners about incidents occurring within the service. However, a small number of safeguarding referrals had not been reported to the CQC. Prompt action was taken by the provider to rectify this. We received mixed feedback from people and families about how the service was run. One relative commented, “Better organisation would make me feel more confident in the service.” Another commented, “I’m happy with the way things are managed at the moment.” The provider had a business continuity plan which detailed how they would be prepared for emergencies.

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 had a strong commitment to improving the service and were open to suggestions for improvement, recognising the importance of joint working with partner agencies.Records seen evidenced positive working relationships with other partners and professionals. Advice was sought, and referrals were made in a timely manner which allowed continuity of care. We received positive feedback from professionals. One professional commented, “I have seen a quality improvement between the time when the current contract period started and now.” Another partner commented, “These contributions are a testament to Springfield Healthcare (Sheffield)’s leadership, whose values and actions extend beyond their own service to positively influence, support and uplift the wider care community.”

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 provider was passionate about building a culture focused on improved outcomes for people. Where they saw areas for improvement, they looked creatively at solutions to address them including making links with the wider care sector. Staff told us they were encouraged to contribute their ideas about the service and were supported to learn new skills as well as develop in their role. One staff member who transferred told us, “I want to develop my skills. So far, they have come through with everything they have promised.” Another staff member commented on changes in progress, “Whilst rota changes have been an issue I have noted improvements in recent months. Communication from management is another area where further progress would make a positive difference.”