Care Matters (Wiltshire) 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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

This service scored 71 (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 registered manager had a strong value base and was committed to ensuring each person received a good standard of support. They said they ensured the service did not grow significantly so people were assured a personalised service.

There was a strong culture of promoting people’s rights, and ensuring the person was at the centre of their support. This was regularly discussed during staff meetings and supervision sessions. Staff confirmed there was an open, supportive culture and enjoyed working for the company.

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 was heavily involved in the service on a day-to-day basis. They knew people, their relatives and staff well, and expected good quality support to be provided.

Staff were very complimentary about the registered manager. They said they had formal supervision but could also call into the office for a chat at any time. Staff told us the registered manager was very supportive and was always available for advice. Specific comments included “We are always welcome to have private chat with [management]” and “If we have a problem or any issues, we can speak to managers, and they will sort it out. Usually there and then. They are ever so good.”

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

People told us they would have no hesitation in raising a concern if needed. They said they would tell a member of staff or ring the office to speak to the deputy or registered manager. People were confident they would be listened to, and their concern would be satisfactorily resolved.

Staff told us the registered manager had an open-door policy. They said they could raise concerns at any time with the registered manager or other staff in the office. One staff member told us they could “100% share concerns”. Another staff member said staff were able to complete a comprehensive anonymous survey, which covered topics such as management support and training. They said the outcome of the surveys were discussed and amendments made as needed.

There was a whistleblowing policy, which was initially discussed with staff during their induction. A separate company was used to advise the registered manager on any human resources issues. This ensured accurate and unbiased procedures were followed as needed.

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.

The registered manager told us they had a diverse staff team with different skills and experiences. There were staff of different ages, genders and nationalities and individuality was respected.

Records demonstrated staff had received training in equality and diversity.

There were a range of auditing systems, but these were not always effective. This was because shortfalls found at this inspection had not been identified.

Regular care plan audits had been undertaken, but these had not identified the shortfalls in risk management. This meant risks associated with skin integrity and choking for example, were not always being effectively mitigated. Daily medicine audits had not identified there was no guidance for staff about ‘as required’ or ‘high risk’ medicines. This did not ensure people always received their medicines as prescribed or associated risks were mitigated. Management had not identified shortfalls in recruitment practices.

The registered manager was very open to learning and readily addressed all feedback from the inspection in a timely manner. However, it was important for the management team to be proactive and keep up to date with best practice moving forward.

Staff received regular checks of their performance and received feedback on what was found. Discussions were held in staff meetings about any new ideas and amendments to practice.

The electronic system highlighted when staff needed any refresher training. This ensured staff were up to date with their knowledge and skills.

The registered manager and office staff regularly visited people to check they were happy with the service they received. They sent surveys, had care reviews and called people to ensure their wellbeing and satisfaction. This helped monitor service provision to ensure it met people’s needs.

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.

The service worked in partnership with a range of health and social care professionals. This included GPs, community nurses, hospital teams and the Living Well at Home team. The registered manager told us they attended a care forum and met with other managers to share ideas and experiences. They discussed staff training needs with various training providers and received information by email from a local care partnership forum and the Care Quality Commission. One member of staff told us they contacted local pharmacies to ensure people did not run out of their medicines.

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 management team and staff strived to be the best they could be. They said they did not want the service to grow in size, as they did not want to lose overall oversight or the individualised support provided. The registered manager was receptive to learning, introducing new ideas and responding to people’s feedback.

There were systems to ensure staff’s learning and development. This included training, formal supervision, appraisal and staff meetings. One staff member was completing the Train the Trainer course, which would enable them to train the staff team in topics such as moving people safely.