Helping Hands Cambridge

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 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 registered manager explained that service was “built on a foundation of kindness.” This was reflected in comments from both people and their relatives, who spoke positively about the care provided. One relative stated the culture at the service was “kind and caring with good communication from top to bottom.” Another relative told us that they would recommend the service “without hesitation- they are so professional, responsive and perfect for [family member]’s needs.”

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. Staff told us the management team were “approachable” and “fair.” Staff told us they felt supported in their roles and had clear direction and leadership from the registered manager. Staff were appropriately trained to provide effective care to people and understood the importance of sharing information, raising concerns and reporting incidents in line with the provider’s procedures. People and their relatives described the management team as “responsive” and “helpful.” One relative told us, “I’ve got peace of mind. [The service] is well run and the carer’s truly care…[relative] looks forward to them [staff] coming.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The provider had ensured formal and informal methods of providing feedback were available for people, staff, family members and health care professionals to share their experiences and opinions in a way that was safe and without the fear of negative consequences. These included formal surveys, care plan reviews, staff meetings and learning from incidents. A staff member told us, “I feel very supported by my management team and am confident that any matters arising will be dealt with professionalism, consideration and integrity.”

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. There was a diverse range of backgrounds, skills and experience within the workforce. The service had an open, inclusive recruitment procedure. Appropriate policies and procedures were in place to support workforce equality and diversity. Staff reported being treated fairly and equally. One staff member told us they were “confident” they would be “treated fairly and with kindness” by the registered manager, if they had any concerns.

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. Governance systems were robust and effective and ensured leaders had strong oversight of the service. Quality assurance arrangements were well established, with audits used to maintain high standards and identify areas for improvement. The service’s proactive approach to safety was demonstrated through timely safeguarding responses, a commitment to learning from complaints and incidents and effective communication with system partners.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. Staff worked in effective partnership with a wide range of external health and social care professionals.

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 undertook audits of care plans, medication records, and carers’ daily notes to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance. Incidents, accidents, and safeguarding concerns were appropriately identified, recorded, and reflected upon to support learning and continuous improvement. The provider also utilised feedback from people, their families, and staff to inform service development. In addition, spot checks were conducted to monitor the quality-of-care delivery and ensure standards were consistently maintained.