Aspirations Northwest Adults

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 high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 68 (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. Regular provider newsletters were shared with staff and people to recognise people’s achievements as well as share good news and best practice. The management team demonstrated an understanding of their responsibilities under duty of candour.

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. Most staff we spoke with felt well supported. Comments included, “I feel fully listened to and leaders promote learning by listening to staff,” “They do look after their staff, the way they talk and listen” and “The managers are very nice and communicate well. There is a new manager, and they are doing perfectly well. We find information out in timely way, and we hold good team meetings which are very informative.” Some staff however, told us they didn’t feel supported by the leadership team. This, in part was following a decision made by the provider which impacted on the employment of several staff members. We shared this feedback and discussed the reasons for this decision with the provider and were provided with assurance appropriate processes had been followed. However, the decision had been made at a provider level, and local managers were not always fully aware of the detail which could have impacted on the way staff felt during this time.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Systems were in place to ensure people who spoke up were supported and staff told us they felt confident to raise any concerns with the management team and the provider. One staff member commented, “I have no issues with speaking up to management. I have never been given a reason to feel I can’t.”

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. Policies were in place to support this.

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. The management team understood their responsibility for notifying the CQC and other agencies of events which occurred within the service and accurate records were maintained. Effective systems were in place to monitor and review the quality of care and experiences of people. The management team maintained a presence locally which enabled them to respond to any issues as they arose.

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. Information contained within care plans demonstrated staff worked in partnership with other agencies. Most partners we spoke with told us this was positive and productive and led to good outcomes for people. One partner, and the management team, shared details about some recent challenges in one geographical area. A new leadership structure was in place to respond to this, and the provider was working towards an agreed action plan to address specific issues which had been identified. Some family members shared feedback about ongoing changes in management which had impacted in some cases in their trust and confidence in the leadership team. One commented about the new electronic care planning system and expressed frustration they did not have access. They said, “The big issue of concern is communication. They use [an electronic care planning system] which is a way for staff and parents to communicate via a family portal however, they are not clear how it works.” We shared this feedback with the management team who told us they would update family members on this access. Other family members spoke very highly of the management team. One commented, “I have a good relationship with the manager. If I call and [the manager] is not available, they will always call back.”

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. The provider sought the views of people, family members and staff through regular meetings and surveys to seek views. Records were maintained of any actions taken in response to feedback they received.