Yourlife (Bury)

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 requires improvement.

This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 61 (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 clear vision and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion and engagement. However, staff told us that the values were not always translated into practice and staff morale was low and they did not always feel listened to or supported. The provider told us that they were working on a plan to improve the staff culture and address grievances, but it was too early to see if this was effective.

People and relatives described a caring culture where their independence was promoted, and they were enabled to live a full life.

The provider had leaders who understood the context in which they delivered care and support. There was a clear staffing structure within the service, and the registered manager was also supported by a regional management team. However, relationships with staff were strained, and there was a lack of trust in the management team. Staff expressed frustration about the effectiveness of the systems and described communication as poor. The provider was aware of issues and had met with staff to better understand the concerns. Some initial steps had been taken including setting up a communication book and regular supervision sessions. Following the assessment, they sent us a copy of their updated action plan. This included additional training, team building, the completion of staff risk assessments and more regular staff meetings. They told us that they had recruited an additional duty manager who was due to commence employment and were continuing to recruit care staff.

People felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. One person told us, “I am consulted and would recommend here to anybody….if I had any concerns I would speak with the manager.”

However, staff told us that whilst the provider had a whistleblowing policy it did not always work effectively as their concerns were not being addressed in a timely way. We saw the provider had taken some action and had plans to meet with staff to discuss their outcome.

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. Some staff raised issues about the different job descriptions in place, but the provider told us that this reflected their organisational policies and staffing needs.

The provider had clear systems of accountability and 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 held regular management meetings to oversee the quality of the provision and maintain oversight. A number of internal and external audits were undertaken which included checks on medicines and the safety of the environment. Spot checks on staff performance were also undertaken. One person told us, “The manager comes in and checks on everything, but everything seems to run well.”

The provider understood their duty to collaborate, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with health partners and collaborated for improvement. However, the partnership and collaboration with staff was less effective and whilst we did not identify any negative impact on people there were potential risks. The provider assured us that they were taking action to improve relationships and partnership working.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation. They encouraged improvements to people’s experience, outcomes and quality of life.

The provider outlined changes that they were introducing such as new recording systems and audits. The registered manager was working through an action plan and service improvement plan to address and identify shortfalls and drive sustained improvements in the service.