Vincentian Care Plus

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• 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 changed 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.

Staff told us the culture within the service was positive, inclusive and compassionate, which helped build trust and understanding between the service and people using it.Staff and the management team demonstrated a well-developed understanding of equality, diversity, and human rights, and they prioritised safe, high-quality and compassionate care. Equality and diversity were actively promoted and the causes of any workforce inequality were quickly identified, and action taken to address the issues.

A member of staff told us, “I found great purpose and fulfilment in supporting service users, building strong and meaningful relationships with them. In many ways, they became like extended family to me. The role also gave me the opportunity to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, enriching my understanding and appreciation of different cultures.”

A person’s representative told us, “The company provides compassionate and reliable care. I’ve seen first-hand how well clients are treated.”

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 and wider management team were experienced and demonstrated dedication and commitment to working closely with staff, healthcare professionals and people who used the service, to ensure high standards were maintained.

Staff said they could talk to the office staff and the management team at any point and felt involved and included in the day to day running of the service and any changes that occurred. Staff said they had regular team meetings, as well as 1-1 support and supervisions, which provided opportunities for discussing any issues with the service and how to make improvements.

A member of staff told us, “I was deeply honoured to receive a long service award during VCP’s 20th anniversary celebration. I also had the privilege of attending the 2025 Home Care Awards, where VCP was highly commended in the category of ‘Best for Specialist Care Expertise’. A testament to our shared dedication to excellence in care. Many thanks to [registered manager] for all their support in pushing the team to be the best version of ourselves in order to serve our community.”

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

The staff and management team said that everyone worked within a culture of openness, honesty, and transparency. Staff were empowered to drive improvement and encouraged to raise concerns when needed. Staff said they had full confidence in the management team and said appropriate action was taken to address any concerns and keep people safe whenever necessary.

The service had effective systems and processes in place to help ensure people knew how and felt confident to speak up, raise concerns and whistle-blow, without fear of retribution. We saw the service had a whistleblowing policy, which was regularly reviewed and discussed with staff.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them. For example, the service had flexible working policies which included remote working options, flexible hours, and job-sharing arrangements. The registered manager told us this was particularly beneficial for employees with caregiving responsibilities or those with health conditions.

The management team provided effective and proactive ways to engage with and involve staff, with a focus on hearing their voices and listening. Staff told us they felt supported to develop their skills and knowledge and were offered training to help with career development.

A member of staff told us, “I have worked as a dedicated staff of the Vincentian Care Plus (VCP) team for the past six years. I began my journey as a care worker, and thanks to VCP’s registered manager for a strong commitment to upskilling and professional development, I seized the opportunity to advance into the role of an on-call care coordinator; a position I was proud to be appointed to.”

The service’s recruitment officer told us how they identified the needs of the service users, as well as the needs of the business, and engaged with people in the community who were interested in joining the care sector. They said this helped them provide people using the service with the most compatible staff.

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.

Throughout this assessment, the registered manager and the wider management team demonstrated that they had the skills and knowledge to provide a well-led service. They had a clear understanding of their responsibilities and were familiar with guidance for providers on meeting the regulations.

The provider had effective processes and systems for storing people's risk assessments, care plans, and daily logs. There were thorough audits, which enabled staff and the provider to learn from and improve the service. People, their representatives and staff provided regular feedback to confirm whether people were receiving the care and support, they needed.

A member of staff told us, “I work closely with carers, service users, next of kin, the duty team, and district nurses. My firsthand experience as a carer has significantly shaped how I approach coordination.” This person explained how they worked hard to address the challenges of remote working, to improve experiences for care staff and people using the service.

Staff, people using the service and their representatives told us they felt the service was well managed and said the management team were very approachable and supportive. A person using the service told us, “The company is well organised and well-led; checking if I am happy with everything.”

A member of staff told us, “Our registered manager plays a pivotal role in inspiring and empowering staff. Their hands-on approach, commitment to staff development, and dedication to going the extra mile truly bring out the best in our team.”

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.

External partners spoke positively about the working relationship they had with the service. They confirmed the service worked hard to address any shortfalls and make improvements where needed. People’s care and support plans demonstrated that people were referred to appropriate healthcare professionals when needed. Information and guidance from external healthcare professionals was shared with care staff to help ensure consistency in providing care and support.

A member of staff told us, “I liaise daily with health professionals and [local authority]’s out-of-hours duty teams. After each shift I submit detailed handover reports to VCP’s team as well as a verbal handover.

Feedback from local authority partners confirmed they had no concerns. They told us that, when unannounced spot checks were carried out, the care agency always responded well to their findings and acted robustly where needed. For example, during a quality assurance visit, a few shortfalls were identified. However, they said that recommendations for improvements were accepted and implemented. Where issues had been raised regarding timekeeping, completion of tasks and the assignment of regular carers, the local authority reported these to the service through an action plan and the care agency worked through it appropriately.

The local authority also carried out a telephone survey in June 2024 with 16% of service users. They found that 80% of them were happy with the care they received and added, “The service users had a lot of compliments for their care workers and some office staff.”

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 service had effective systems and processes in place to help ensure that lessons were learnt when things went wrong. We noted that any issues were raised and discussed in team meetings, as well as during staff’s supervision sessions. We found that lessons had been learned from mistakes and shortfalls in the past and appropriate action had been taken to ensure improvements were made and maintained.

The staff and management team told us how they contributed to making improvements to the service. Staff said they were encouraged to put forward improvement ideas and, those we spoke with, said they trusted the management team to listen and act.

A member of staff told us, “The best thing is the supportive environment. The management team is approachable, and there’s a strong sense of teamwork. I also appreciate the ongoing training and how much they value the carers' contributions.”

The manager provided us with examples of learning, improvement and innovation. For example, we saw the service had received a high commendation at the Home Care Awards in 2024 for its work with individuals affected by homelessness in London. In 2025, the service was named a finalist in the Specialist Care Expertise category for its chair-based movement programme, which was tailored to individuals with limited mobility. The manager was seen to have stated, “We pour our hearts and souls into our work. Being recognised is more than an honour; it’s a powerful validation of our continued commitment to excellence in care.”