Turning Point - Cumbria Learning Disabilities Supported Living

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has improved to 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 service embedded the principles of Right Support, Right Care and Right Culture throughout its approach. People were encouraged to make their own choices, maintain control over their lives and maximise their independence. Staff and leaders were committed to helping people access their local communities and take part in meaningful activities. The registered manager told us, “There has been a real culture shift within the service in recent years since I started. I am proud of how the team promotes independence, choice and respect in everything they do.”

Staff were also encouraged to contribute their views and ideas through supervision sessions and team meetings. People, relatives and external professionals felt the service was overall well-led.

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.

The registered manager promoted a caring and inclusive culture and treated both people and staff with respect. Staff told us the registered manager led the service well and treated them with respect. They felt supported and encouraged to contribute ideas to help develop and improve the service.

Roles and responsibilities were clear, staff felt well supported, and leaders worked closely with the team to deliver good outcomes for people. The management team understood their regulatory responsibilities and took action to make improvements where needed.

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

People told us, or indicated, that they knew who to speak to if they were unhappy about anything. Relatives also felt confident raising concerns. Clear complaints procedures were in place and available in a range of accessible formats, so people and their families knew how to make a complaint if needed.

Staff were confident to speak up if they needed and felt they would be listened to. Whistleblowing and speaking-up policies were clear, accessible and regularly reviewed.

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.

We received a very good response when we requested staff feedback. The overall response was predominantly positive. Some of the negative items mentioned, which included use of agency and staff shortages at times, were already being addressed by the registered manager.

Staff had regular contact with managers and said they had not experienced discrimination or harassment. They felt they were treated fairly and with respect. Management listened to feedback and took steps to make the organisation an even better place to work.

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.

At the last assessmentweidentifiedsome areas where the provider needed to improve governance systemsand,on thisassessment,we foundgovernance had been strengthened.The provider had quality assurance systems in place to consistentlymonitorthe service. This included checks onmedicines and healthand safety.Any feedback we gave during the assessment, was acted upon and updates made to enhance processes for the future. Records were retained securely and confidentially.

As part of our usual checks during the assessment process, we found the services rating was not displayed on the providers website. This was amended before the end of the assessment process and plans were in place to further redevelop the website.

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.

Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals and community services to ensure people received timely support and enjoyed a good quality of life. One professional said, “The registered manager was responsive to feedback and showed a willingness to implement improvements where required.”

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 told us they were encouraged to share ideas and contribute to service improvements through team meetings and one-to-one discussions. Records showed the provider acted on feedback from healthcare professionals and the local authority to help improve outcomes for people. The local authority quality assurance team told us, “The service demonstrated a good standard overall.”

Staff were supported to keep their training up to date through a mixture of face-to-face and online learning, which they valued. The culture was open and supportive, encouraging staff to ask questions, share experiences and learn from one another.