Arm2Arm Support Ltd

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 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. There was a positive culture at the service. The manager told us, “The culture here is very [person] focused.” The provider’s website stated, “Arm2Arm support service aims to deliver humanised and holistic care, empowering individuals to live their lives to the fullest while maintaining their dignity and quality of life.” People’s feedback confirmed staff worked in line with these values. Staff had a good understanding of the company’s vision and values.

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 manager had completed a high level of training relevant to their role and was committed to their ongoing development. The manager told us, “I am doing a ‘help to grow’ course with [university]. This covers everything a leader needs, how to support staff, how to support staff in terms of wellbeing, mentoring support. This helps me to manage better, helps me learn strategies to grow as a business, whilst making sure the [person] is at the centre.”

Staff spoke consistently positively about the leaders’ skills and knowledge. Staff said, “I think the leaders at our service have the knowledge, experience and skills to lead effectively”, and “I feel that leaders at the service have strong communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills. They are approachable, listen to staff and service users, and make sure everyonefeels supported and included.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff understood the term freedom to speak up. One staff member said, “To me, it means that staff should feel empowered and safe to voice concerns without fear of blame or repercussions. It involves creating a safe and transparent environment where open communication helps improve safety, care quality, and the wellbeing of both staff and [people].” Staff told us they felt able to speak up and leaders were approachable. There was a whistleblowing policy for staff which included details of how to contact external organisations such as CQC and the local authority.

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. Staff told us leaders promoted workforce equality, diversity and inclusion. Comments from staff included, “I feel that staff are generally treated fairly, with respect, and supported in their roles. Managers and colleagues are approachable, and there is a culture of teamwork, which makes it easier todo my job effectively”, and “I am comfortable with how the service interacts with me and other staff. I believe I am treated fairly and equally, and the work environment is encouraging and respectful.”

There was an ‘equal opportunities’ policy for staff which stated, ‘Arm2Arm support service is an equal opportunity employer. Equal opportunity is about good employment practices and efficient use of our most valuable asset, our employees.” The manager told us, “We have a flexible working policy, we are aware of barriers regarding foreign workers and language barriers. Staff are encouraged to utilise the resources from Swindon Borough Council – the Harbour Project [support group for asylum seekers and refugees] to support working visas and language lessons.”

The provider did not always have good governance. One out of 3 incidents had not been reported to the CQC. This meant CQC did not have full oversight of safeguarding concerns at the service. However, this had been reported to the local authority safeguarding team. Additionally, the service did not follow their own policy in relation to medicines administration, in relation to using Medicines Administration Charts (MAR) for staff to record support with medicines.

However, staff were clear about their roles and spoke positively about how the service was ran. People also spoke positively about the management of the service. Comments included, “The manager is very approachable, that’s what was instantly likeable” and “I am very happy with the service, it is excellent.” A range of audits took place to improve the service, and the manager told us they were implementing a service improvement plan to monitor progress. The manager said, “I think it will be impactful, it will help us to streamline things.”

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. Leaders worked alongside other organisations. The manager said, “We help [people] to access [equipment company] to get equipment that they need loaned. We make referrals to occupational therapists and the speech and language therapy team where needed”. The manager also told us they worked with Wiltshire Care Partnership [support service to adult social care services] for guidance and support. Staff told us they worked in partnership with other organisations. One staff member commented, “We collaborate as partners to ensure everyone feels informed, involved, and heard.” We saw evidence of the service working with other professionals and following advice and guidance within people’s care records.

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 manager was committed to their professional development and had completed a range of courses to help the business succeed and grow. The manager gave examples of things they had implemented. They told us, “We are on a drive to promote hydration and are distributing information to clients. We promote sustainability by promoting hand hygiene rather than single use gloves, which are less effective for Norovirus for example. We are developing an online feedback tool and marketing material and are attending events to promote the business.” The manager had created a new ‘marketing manager’ role to help the business grow and develop.