Rotherham Regional Office

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 changed to outstanding. This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 93 (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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities. The registered manager was passionate about making sure people voices were heard and about supporting people have the best quality of life possible. Staff we spoke with shared these values.

Staff and managers demonstrated an extremely positive, compassionate listening culture that promoted trust and understanding between them, relatives, and people using the service, and were focused on learning and improvement. The service actively encouraged open communication and provided regular opportunities for people and relatives to give feedback on a range of topics; being responsive to concerns raised and ideas shared.

Leaders created a shared direction that made sure each person was at the centre of their support when decisions were being made about their lives. The management team promoted a positive culture that was open, inclusive, and empowering. We saw staff at all levels prioritised high-quality personalised support tailored to each person’s preferences, needs, and schedule as detailed in the ‘company ethos’ and reiterated in detailed and robust staff inductions. This was evident throughout conversations with staff, relatives and partners. We saw the team invested in people, promoted independence and delivered a very high quality of care and support.

The senior leadership team had a governance approach which was consistently effective in improving standards and created a culture of innovation. People and their representatives were involved in decisions about their care and support. The service took active steps to make sure there was an open culture. There was evidence that concerns could be raised safely, and poor or unsafe practice was identified and challenged.

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.

There was a clear staffing structure in place. The registered manager felt supported by the provider and also worked closely with members of the provider’s management team. The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and support staff ensured people lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. People were treated with respect and dignity. Leaders promoted and embedded a culture that enabled individually designed support that embraced people’s human rights. This meant people were able to live a good, ordinary life as part of their community. Throughout the assessment, leaders demonstrated an excellent understanding of the service and the people they supported. They were knowledgeable and experienced. Staff confirmed they led by example and modelled inclusive behaviours. A staff member told us their managers were very person centred, capable and compassionate. A staff member said, “People are at the centre of everything.”

People were very positive in their feedback about the management of the service. Most relatives indicated they had confidence in the service, they were kept up to date about their family members’ wellbeing and their involvement was valued. Their comments included, “I text staff daily and they let me know how [my family member] is and what they have been doing. I understand that [my family member] is complex,” “I am aware that staff are informed about whistleblowing. This gives protection of people, which is good,” and “We can contact management by email or phone. We have only had one issue and that was a couple of years ago.”

The provider was exceptional at fostering a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Managers and staff made sure people knew their rights and discussed these in care reviews. The team empowered people to assert their rights, and supported people to exercise their rights as tenants. There was regular engagement with people and their representatives and a strong focus on supporting people to thrive, develop skills, have new experiences and live the life they chose.

Leaders actively promoted staff empowerment, to drive improvement and fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Procedures were in place for staff to speak up if they had any concerns.

Staff told us they were encouraged to raise concerns as well as ideas for improving the service, and these were listened to. They spoke about why it was important to speak up if something was wrong and said they were able to raise concerns with their line-managers, or with the registered manager. They confirmed lessons were shared and acted upon. A staff member said, “We are able to bring up any concerns in supervisions, or we go straight to the manager. I also do the surveys. I’ve seen things change and improve. We [staff] are listened to.”

Staff were also familiar with the provider’s whistleblowing procedure and systems were in place to encourage staff to speak up confidently. The provider used a dedicated whistle blowing phone line, which enabled staff to register any concerns relating to their work

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 had access to equality policies, which were kept under review. The provider actively protected and promoted equality and human rights for people using the service and for staff.

The management team were aware of people who were likely to experience inequality, and actively listened to make sure staffs’ diversity was valued and respected. They made reasonable adjustments to ‘level the playing field’ for staff in relation to any protected characteristics they might have.

The provider was alert to discrimination and inequality. Staff told us they were provided with training on equality and diversity. Effective systems were in place to make sure staff were treated fairly and supported in their roles. Workforce well-being was prioritised, and we saw examples of how staff were supported with personal challenges and difficulties. Staff received regular supervision and appraisal and were supported to develop to their full potential. Regular staff group meetings and 1-to-1 meetings took place with staff and the provider told us staff were encouraged to raise any concerns they had, particularly in relation to equality and inclusion. Staff told us they were encouraged to maintain a healthy work/life balance and the registered manager was supportive and flexible around their working arrangements to support their commitments at home.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.The registered manager shared the positive achievements that had been acknowledged in a recent monitoring assessment of the service by the local authority commissioning and contracts team.

We saw high-quality leadership was sustained through safe, effective and inclusive recruitment and staff were supported to progress within the company. The provider developed internal candidates to fill key management roles, ensuring business continuity and leadership stability when positions became vacant. They helped prepare staff for future roles, and were very good at ensuring they possessed the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in those positions. The registered manager, and several members of the management team we met had worked for Eden Futures for some years, having been promoted internally. They told us they were provided with ongoing support to undertake enhanced training and qualifications; to continuously improve their knowledge, skills and capabilities. Similar professional developmental opportunities were made available to staff throughout the service. This helped leaders and staff at the service understand risks within the service and ensure they were well managed.

The model of care was in line with current best practice guidance, right support, right care, right culture. The management team understood there must be a separation between the care a person received and their accommodation. This enabled people to live as independently as possible in accommodation that was genuinely their own. People could choose who supported them in their own home.

Systems were in in place for effective quality assurance The provider’s governance framework made sure staff and managers were clear about the expectations of the provider, and regulatory requirements were fully understood. Quality and compliance audits were completed by staff and managers at all levels of the team. We saw that issues were identified and addressed in a timely way. Robust systems were in place for the recruitment and development of the whole team. The management team identified strengths and talent within the staff team and encouraged this. Staff were supported well, with various resources available to them to support their mental wellbeing. Staff told us the management team were supportive and approachable and understood the service well.

The provider employed a range of supporting staff to make sure the service was of high quality and people’s voices were heard. For instance, an engagement officer focussed on seeking the views of people using the service, a quality assurance lead audited all aspects of the service and looked for innovative ways to develop and improve. The specialist support team provided support when the team was supporting people who showed distress through their communication and behaviour.

We saw several instances that demonstrated very good governance and management oversight. For example, in supporting complex packages of care, promoting problem solving, very personalised care and support, and improvements in people’s health and wellbeing. Staff at all levels understood their roles and responsibilities and the registered manager fully understood their regulatory responsibilities, including their legal responsibility to be open and honest when things went wrong.

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 had worked with people, their representatives and staff to build a culture that focused on enabling people to enjoy their lives. There was regular engagement with people and their representatives.

Staff could access the provider’s guidance online. This detailed the provider’s vision and values for their service. These were based on being honest, caring and compassionate, positive, professional, and responsive, and being brave, in encouraging positive risk taking to help grow the horizons of the people they supported and encouraging staff to speak out if something was not right.

We saw staff demonstrated the values of the service in practice, and they told us they worked well together as a team. Staff told us people using the service were encouraged to raise their own concerns and to be comfortable to do this.

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always 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 model of care and support was in line with current best practice guidance right support, right care, right culture. The service had strong external relationships that supported learning and improvement and managers worked with people, their representatives and staff to build a culture that focused on enabling people to enjoy a full life.

The service had several initiatives to promote staff wellbeing and strong external relationships that supported learning and improvement. During the period of our assessment the service celebrated the successful progression from Gold to Platinum Investors in People accreditation. This is highest level of recognition Investors in People award. recognizing organisations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to people management and development. It signifies a strong culture of continuous improvement, high employee engagement, and a significant investment in employee well-being and training.

The registered manager displayed genuine compassion and interest in the people using the service and staff. They were open to suggestions and acknowledged and identified what could have been done differently and put this learning into practice.

There was regular proactive engagement with people, their relatives, partners and other services; and a strong focus on supporting people to thrive, develop skills and enjoy new experiences. Staff and members of the management team made sure people received holistic support which met their needs, and engaged with groups and organisations in the local community to support people with their personal identity and interests. They worked collaboratively with a range of partners and services. This included the local authority, adult learning services, and health promotion teams and organisations.

Staff were supported to prioritise time to develop their skills around improvement and innovation. Staff confirmed the service supported requests for additional training and actively encouraged them to share ideas. Staff we spoke with felt they were well trained and said the management team were always encouraged staff who came up with new ideas for engaging and involving people using the service.