Craven Home Care

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 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’s service user guide included details about the service’s aim and objectives. These focused on providing excellence whilst promoting independence and control, person-centred care, dignity and respect.

Feedback from staff evidenced the aims and objectives were embedded within the culture of the service. A staff member said, “I think the manager’s passion and values makes me like working here because it aligns with my own, and I am able to deliver excellent care to [people] we support.” Another added, “How [managers] communicate with colleagues and how they treat [people] shows they genuinely care. Not only about people we support but also about the wellbeing of staff.”

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.

Staff confirmed managers had the right skills, knowledge and experience, and told us they led by example. A staff member said, “I feel [managers] lead by example and role model the correct behaviours. Their actions match what they say, and it comes across very strongly how much they care about [people].”

Managers undertook regular training and attended webinars to develop their own skills, knowledge and experience. Staff at all levels had similar opportunities for learning and progression. The manager explained how a staff member had shown interest in becoming a senior. They had been given additional training and were being supported to build on skills and experience until a position was made available.

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

Team meetings were held and weekly drop-ins were arranged to give staff the opportunity to speak about any concerns.

Staff understood the phrase ‘freedom to speak up’ and could tell us what this meant in practice. Staff felt confident about speaking up and confirmed managers were open to any feedback. A staff member told us, “Staff can speak openly and are listened to. The atmosphere is collaborative rather than hierarchical.”

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 were very positive about their colleagues, the managers and the service were very positive, and we received no concerns about the way staff were treated. A staff member said, “It’s a really good company to work for.”

Staff member’s rights were detailed in the employee handbook including the right to flexible working. A staff member explained how they were supported to work flexibly, so they could attend university, others confirmed they were able to work around their family commitments. The employee handbook also included details about the provider’s equal opportunities, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.

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 electronic care planning system had a range of built in checks and audits. For example, it could alert managers to missed calls or care tasks, and provide reports on call times or medication administration. Risk to the service and performance were discussed at managers meetings.

Quality assurance processes included staff observations, spot checks, annual surveys and records of feedback. Information was used effectively to monitor and improve the safety and quality of care.

The provider had robust plans for business continuity, in case of emergencies such as adverse weather, staff sickness and information technology (IT) failure.

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 built links with local health and social care partners and sought support and advice on people’s behalf when needed. Managers shared learning and good practice at various forums.

Staff supported people to access community groups and charities to improve outcomes for people. For example, foodbanks and stop smoking groups.

The manager explained how the service supported community events and charities. They provided sponsorship for a range of books about online bullying and discrimination, used by the Police to share information with students at local schools.

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.

Staff confirmed they were encouraged to share ideas that could help improve the service and improve people’s quality of life; and they were supported to develop their skills around improvement and innovation. A staff member had been keen to learn about and implement the new electronic care planning system. They were given support and time to implement the system and help colleagues who were struggling.

Some procedures referenced research used to plan care and support. For example, the manager had seen research about the use of staff uniforms and how this could make people more vulnerable to abuse.

Managers were open and transparent during the inspection process, and responsive to feedback provided. Any suggested improvements were implemented in a timely manner.