Home Instead Rochdale

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 86 (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. The management team promoted a positive and open culture that was shared with the team.

Staff described the organisation as supportive and inclusive; we saw regular communication through weekly emails and regular meetings. These included updates, policy reminders, and staff recognition.

The management team were clear on what good quality care looked like. They knew about people's needs and preferences, and how to support staff to deliver care to people that was centred around their needs and preferences.

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 registered manager demonstrated exceptional knowledge, skill, and leadership, and was fully supported by the provider and senior management team. There was a shared and embedded commitment across the leadership team to delivering high-quality, person-centred care, where people, their relatives, and staff consistently felt valued and respected.

At the time of this assessment, a new Nominated Individual had been appointed. Feedback from staff about both the provider and the registered manager was overwhelmingly positive and reflected a culture of openness, inclusivity, and continuous improvement. One staff member told us, “The new owner is approachable and has an open-door policy. I feel confident going to him for anything, which I have done. I have asked for training, and he responds positively every time. He encourages ideas for improvements and is very supportive and eager to help.”

Throughout the inspection, the registered manager demonstrated compassion, professionalism, and a strong commitment to both people using the service and staff. They were highly organised, responsive, and proactive in addressing requests and providing information. The registered manager told us, “I enjoy visiting people throughout their journey with us. It is equally important that I regularly see my staff to check in with them, ensure they feel supported, and offer help wherever I can.” Staff consistently described the registered manager as approachable, supportive, and effective. They told us that any concerns or suggestions they raised were listened to and addressed promptly, fostering a positive and transparent working culture.

Without exception, everyone we spoke with described the service as caring, professional, and delivering a high standard of care, supported by effective training and strong leadership. Feedback included, “It is such a bonus having such wonderful care provision. It gives me peace of mind and improves my quality of life knowing my relative is safe,” and “This is a very professional service that consistently provides a high standard of care.”

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

Staff consistently told us they felt confident to speak up and raise any concerns. They demonstrated a clear understanding of the service’s whistleblowing policy and how to use it. There were appropriate policies and procedures in place to promote equality and diversity, and staff confirmed these areas were supported through training. Staff received regular supervisions and appraisals where they are encouraged to raise any concerns they may have. The provider uses an external human resources company to ensure that the policies and procedures they follow are fair and contain the correct information and guidelines.

Relatives told us they felt able to approach the service with any issues or queries and were confident these would be addressed promptly and effectively. One relative shared, “They explained their complaints procedure well, and we have had no reason to use it as they are very good.”

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 demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting equality and diversity through established policies, staff training, and day-to-day practice. An employee assistance programme was available to all staff.

Staff consistently reported that they were treated fairly, felt valued, and were supported to maintain their wellbeing. This reflected a positive and inclusive organisational culture, where staff felt respected and able to raise concerns or request support when needed.

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.

Governance systems were notably robust, clear, and consistently effective, demonstrating a strong culture of openness, accountability, and continuous improvement. Comprehensive auditing processes were embedded across the service, including regular reviews of incidents, medicines management, and staffing. These provided leaders with effective oversight and assurance of service quality. Where audits identified areas for improvement, these were acted upon swiftly through detailed and targeted action plans, which were closely monitored to ensure sustained progress.

A strong culture of learning was evident throughout the service. Learning from incidents was embedded in everyday practice, with a clear focus on both peoples’ and staff safety, particularly in relation to medicines management. Medicines systems were subject to frequent internal audits, including detailed reviews of any medication changes, ensuring ongoing safety and effectiveness. External stakeholders also audited medicines practices and found them to be exemplary, providing further assurance of the high standards maintained.

The service demonstrated a proactive approach to managing risks and responding to individual needs. For example, where a person regularly declined medication at a specific time and refused another medicine, this was clearly identified, appropriately escalated to healthcare professionals, and reviewed. Care plans and risk assessments were updated to reflect current needs and preferences, and any changes to prescribed medicines were accurately recorded and implemented.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people.

The service was highly responsive in enabling people to maintain connections within their local community and reducing the risk of social isolation. The registered manager explained that ensuring people did not become isolated was imperative to the delivery of effective care and support. This approach was clearly embedded in practice and reflected a strong understanding of people’s social and emotional needs.

The provider had developed innovative and inclusive opportunities for people to engage in community life through events led by their Community Engagement Officer. Coffee Rockers is a long-standing monthly initiative which has been running successfully for several years. The event is open not only to people using the service and their relatives, but to all members of the community aged over 55. This inclusive model ensured the activity was accessible to a wider population, supporting people to build and maintain social networks. The clear aim of the initiative was to reduce social isolation and promote wellbeing. The provider ensured the event was fully accessible by covering the cost of venue hire, entertainment, and refreshments. Home Instead staff were actively involved in facilitating and managing the event, demonstrating a coordinated and responsive approach to community engagement. One person decided after talking with staff that they wanted to attend the event as it sounded like it would be a positive experience for them, they asked staff to provide them with the information so they could attend with a family member.

In addition, the service delivered a wellbeing café specifically designed for people living with dementia, as well as their families and carers, the provider took over this event after being approached by other professionals that were looking to stop providing the service. The café included refreshments and entertainment, alongside the involvement of external agencies who attended to offer information, advice, and support. This ensured that people and their families had timely access to additional services and resources, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions about their care and support needs. The provider fully funded this initiative, further highlighting their commitment to meeting identified needs.

The service also supported people to access wider community resources through the production of a “What’s on Where” leaflet. This provided comprehensive information about local groups, activities, and events, along with details on how to access them. In addition, key contact information for essential services such as the NHS, police and local authority departments was included. This proactive approach ensured people had the information they needed to remain connected, access support when required, and make choices about how they spent their time.

The provider further demonstrated responsiveness to people’s individual circumstances during significant times of the year. For example, staff were encouraged to speak to people regarding their plans for Christmas, if they were staying at home and wanted a Christmas Lunch delivered to them staff ensured that their name was put forward to an initiative run by an external body. This meant people could celebrate the occasion in a way that suited their preferences, while still feeling valued and included.

Through strong partnership working the provider has built up a well-established network of professional relationships across the Rochdale borough, this means people and their careers are connected with appropriate services and communities are supported as well as people who use the service to improve well-being and reduce isolation.

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.

Leaders demonstrated an exceptional commitment to a culture of continuous learning, professional development, and improvement across the service. Staff were highly supported to develop their knowledge and skills through a comprehensive, well-structured training programme that was tailored to individual learning needs and career progression. Training covered all aspects of people’s care and support, including specialist areas such as catheter care, compression stockings, inhaler administration, dementia care, end-of-life support, and food hygiene.

Staff told us they were able to request additional training at any time, and this was promptly facilitated. This proactive approach ensured staff remained competent, confident, and responsive to the evolving needs of the people they supported.

Training delivery was flexible, inclusive, and responsive, recognising different learning styles and needs. A variety of methods were used, including visual learning tools and role play, which enhanced understanding and application in practice. The training team spoke positively about the strong leadership support they received, enabling them to maintain high standards and adapt provision as required. For example, when a proposal was made to condense induction training, the training team, with full backing from senior management, explained to head office that condensing the training would have a negative and unfair impact on new staff, this resulted in an agreement that the induction programme would remain unchanged.