Nottingham DCA

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 meant the management and leadership was consistent. Leaders and the culture they created supported the delivery of person-centred care.

This service scored 64 (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 vision to support and promote independence and improve people’s quality of life using a holistic approach. We saw evidence of the provider holding workshops and training to support communication and upskilling around factors that impact the shared direction and culture. However, staff we spoke with were not clear on all the aspects of these workshops. For example, staff could not identify or explain what a closed culture was or the how to identify this.

A closed culture is a poor culture in a health or care service that increases the risk of harm. The development of closed cultures can be deliberate or unintentional but either way it can cause unacceptable harm to a person and their loved ones. We discussed this with the registered manager who took immediate steps to address this concern.

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. Staff told us there had been recent management changes throughout the organisation but said they had been supported through this change and had always had access to manager for help and support when needed. One staff member said, “There is always someone available, I am never left on my own without help if I need it.”

The registered manager was actively working towards a detailed induction plan for new managers to ensure they had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively.

The provider had relevant policies in place to support people and staff with speaking up. Staff we spoke with were aware of the whistleblowing blowing and felt able to use this and were confident action would be taken.

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 had an equality and diversity policy, and staff received regular training to aid understanding and development. No one we spoke with raised any concerns about equality and diversity or 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. However, record keeping was not always clear and staff knowledge around the providers values and culture were inconsistent and governance processes had not identified these concerns.

The provider had a business continuity plan, so they were prepared for emergency situations and people would continue to receive their care. They made notifications in line with their regulatory responsibilities.

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. All professionals we spoke with for feedback about the service agreed the provider was proactive in promoting choice, independence and good quality care. One professional said, “The extra services available are excellent, people they support are also offered access to the ‘hub’ which helps with social interactions and inclusion.” The hub was a meeting held weekly at a safe place where people could get together and partake in activities or attend information sharing sessions and all meeting’s were open to people and/or their loved ones.

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. People and staff consistently told us they were asked for their feedback, and their care was regularly reviewed. The registered manager acknowledged this was not always documented fully but were actively working on making improvements to ensure record keeping improved.