Elgar Care Ltd

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 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.

People and relatives spoke exceptionally highly of the service and its leadership. A person told us, “They’re the best going. I’ve no concerns at all, because they’re the best anyone could ask for. There’s nothing I can criticise because they’re a good company. I’ve had them four or five years and I wouldn’t want anybody else’. A relative said, “I would definitely recommend this company to other people.” Staff were proud to work for Elgar Care Ltd and described the culture of the service as, “Friendly and family orientated. A great team that can always talk to anyone,” and “It feels very much like a family, we all work together and support each other. I have worked here for 4 years and really feel part of the team. We are all encouraged to speak up and know that the door is always open.”

People were the focus and at the heart of everything and this was reflected in everything the registered manager and provider did. They knew the needs of people they supported and were passionate about achieving good outcomes for them. Staff were highly motivated and passionate to deliver outstanding care. Staff knew the provider’s values, ‘honesty, empathy, accountability, respect and teamwork (HEART)’ and told us these were embedded throughout the service. One staff member said, “Yes definitely this is embedded in everything from office to carers.”

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.

People consistently received a person-centred service from a well-led team of staff. This made a material difference to the quality of people’s lives. One person living with complex wellbeing and health needs told us how positive the care was. They told us, “All the managers are good, and the main exception is [registered manager name], in an excellent way. The main thing for me is that the positive impact every call has on me for the rest of the day. I feel positive for the rest of the day and I don’t worry. I feel relieved and my anxiety levels are within tolerable limits. I say I’m blessed, it’s because I have the best care agency looking after my needs.” A relative told us, “They are so helpful and friendly, and capable. It sounds like an advert, but we’re so lucky to have them with the support they give us. It’s a combination of rapport for the staff, and the office staff, so they all feel valued. It’s rapport with us as well.” A further relative said, “Yes the service is well led, absolutely without a doubt.”

The service has a track record of being an excellent role model for other services. It works in partnership with others to build seamless experiences for people based on good practice and people’s informed preferences. Leaders, managers and staff strive for excellence through consultation, research and reflective practice.

The nominated individual took an active role in supporting staff and worked effectively with the registered manager and leaders. The nominated individual had previously won Care Assessor/Planner Award (2025) and Frontline Leader Award (2023) at the Great British Care Awards. They were also recognised nationally as a finalist for the Care Assessor/Planner Award and the Joy Maker Award. The Joy Maker Award honors individuals and teams who bring happiness, positivity, and connection to their communities or workplaces. Leaders promoted a highly inclusive and open culture, ensuring everyone’s voice was heard and valued. A relative told us about a time when they needed some support with their family members and how they had contacted other professionals, but none of them had got back to them. However, the nominated individual offered support and got things moving. They said, “[Nominated individual name] was fantastic, and I would say [nominated individual] is like my angel. [Nominated individual name] is absolutely wonderful and helps in many ways, as even when I get depressed, they somehow make me laugh.” In 2025 Elgar Care Ltd were finalists of the medium to large business of the year awards and the registered manager and another member of staff were shortlisted for employee of the year. Leaders understood their responsibilities under the duty of candour and were open and transparent. They had a passion for providing the best support possible. Leaders worked extremely well and collaboratively with external professionals and partner agencies to achieve the best possible outcomes for people. Feedback from external professionals was positive and demonstrated collaborative working and commitment from leaders to achieve the best outcomes for people. One professional said, “[Registered manager name] and [Finance manager/social media and marketing manager name] have utilised the training they have undertaken with us, and resources we have provided to them, to make internal changes to improve their staff wellbeing and client care practices.In our view this is an excellent demonstration of a management team who are passionate to continue to improve and support others. Staff regularly get involved with their fundraising challenges collectively and enthusiastically.”

Staff and leaders were extremely passionate about providing high-quality person-centred care. The registered manager’s strong leadership skills empowered the team to reach and maintain high standards. Staff spoke very positively about working for Elgar Care Ltd, the management team and the support they received. One staff member said, “I would 1 million % recommend Elgar Care Ltd as a service for a loved one and as a place to work.”

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

Staff we spoke with told us their voices were heard and action was taken when any issues or concerns were raised. There was a culture of speaking up where staff were able to raise any issues or concerns without fear of detriment. One staff member said, “I feel we are listened to and able to talk freely about any concerns we have.” Another staff member told us, “There has been times when I have had to ring in to the office about client issues or concerns and have always felt listened to, sometimes just if had bad day, then they always listen and try to help.” A further staff member said, “I know I can speak openly with [registered manager] about everything doesn’t matter how difficult. [Registered manager] is such a positive and understanding person, I feel comfortable dealing with my manager.” There was an open-door policy which meant people, families and staff could approach the managers at any time. Staff were actively encouraged to share concerns about safety or wrongdoing with policies and procedures in place to support this such as raising concerns, freedom to speak up and whistleblowing.

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 told us they felt happy at work, and they had the support from the management team and their colleagues. One staff member told us, “We have amazing bosses who care about their staff and their wellbeing.” Another staff member said about their colleagues, “We become a support network for each other. There have been times recently when I have struggled and there was some staff that noticed and sent me messages of support and let me know that they were there if I needed anything. I have also done this with carers we are there for each other. Some of the staff I work with are second to none, always show empathy to everyone.” The service promoted inclusion and celebrated diversity.Leaders took an active responsibility for ensuring staff members from all cultures, faiths, and diverse backgrounds felt a profound sense of visibility, respect, and belonging. For example, they adjusted gifts to respect individual beliefs and preferences following discussions with staff.They celebrate multiple different awareness days such as Autism awareness and Pride. This demonstrated to staff and people using the service they are an inclusive organisation. Staff were provided with regular training, flexible working hours, and strong mental health support.

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.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place, including monthly audits of people's plans of care and medicine records and incidents. Records showed where concerns had been identified, required action had been taken appropriately and promptly. This information was used to learn from mistakes and drive improvements in people’s care.The team held governance meetings every 3 months to discuss progress, share lessons, and plan improvements.The registered manager was supported by a team to help manage the service and ensure they continued to provide safe, high quality and compassionate care in line with their values.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

The service worked exceptionally well in partnership with local charities to improve mental health. Through a "charity of the year" agreement, they actively involved staff and the people they support in awareness events, including team challenges and coffee mornings. The charity praised this approach, stating Elgar Care Ltd, "fully supports mental health awareness and can have open conversations with the people they support”. The service also built strong connections with other key health professionals. One health and social care professional shared how the service worked well with them, stating, “There is a strong sense of partnership, and collaboration is consistently effective and supportive.” The service worked closely and liaised with hospice professionals where appropriate to ensure people were supported with dignity, respect and compassionate care at the end of their lives. The provider also worked collaboratively within the wider care sector by sharing training resources with local care providers to raise the standard of care across Herefordshire community. This embedded approach to effective partnership working made a material difference to people’s quality of life, outcomes and safety. There was a dedication and commitment to ensuring there was equity for people through effective partnership working, to ensure they were fully supported to achieve the outcomes they wished for.

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.

The provider promoted a strong culture of continuous learning and growth. They collected feedback from people and staff through surveys and meetings. They also used incidents and audits to improve care. Learning was shared with staff and used to make changes to practice where needed. The provider’s business plan focused on continuous improvement and growth. For example, the provider had upgraded their auditing tool, and most care plans had recently been updated to include extra detail to help staff to support people effectively and safely. One person said, “They’re constantly reviewing the care and looking for ways to improve, but I do not feel anything needs to be changed. From the management to the carers, I would say they’re 100%.”

The provider was committed to supporting people's wellbeing beyond their immediate care needs through initiatives such as events and celebrations and community activities. This had a positive impact on helping people maintain social connections and reducing loneliness.