Folkestone Home Care

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 changed to Outstanding. This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 89 (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.

There was an exceptional culture at the service that was based on advocating for the voice of people, families and staff and delivering care that was as individual and unique as the people they supported. The provider had a values based recruitment model that specifically focused on care and empathy, and worked together with staff to support them in bringing those values into their day to day work. This included supporting staff who might be having personal challenges which had impacted their performance with other employer, but the provider had recognised their compassion and wanted to give them an environment where they could thrive. The registered manager told us, “I am proud of the culture we have which encourages staff to share their ideas, and ensure they have the time they need to devote to people’s care.” People told us that the service advocated for them and their families, including speaking to other services on their behalf or suggesting ideas that would improve their safety, comfort and independence. People were supported to achieve the best outcomes from their care and take part in activities they once thought would never be possible. One person told us “'They're a great provider, and I've had dealings with other providers who haven't been up to scratch. The manager is meticulous and her attention to detail is amazing”.

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.

Leaders were passionate about care and advocating for the best outcomes for the people they supported. They role modelled the values they expected of their team, were accessible and always acted with integrity. People and staff fed back highly positively about the respect they had for the registered manager and the impact they had on their lives. One relative stated “'The manager is very good, very experienced and supports us with advice”. A person receiving support added “'I really like all of the staff, they're all a real pleasure to be around. They're polite, they're friendly, it's not just a job to them it’s a vocation. You never get any moaning or groaning about anything. They sing the manager’s praises. They are clearly well looked after and that means they do their best for the clients.”

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

There was a positive culture of speaking up which was embedded within all elements of care, with staff feeling empowered to share any suggestions or concerns to improve care. There was a clear focus on decisions being made together and that everybody was accountable for the safe delivery of care. Staff told us they were encouraged to speak up and would have no hesitation in doing so. One staff member told us, “If there was anything wrong I would be the first to say. But there is nothing and the manager is very approachable.” Another staff member echoed this and told us, “There is nothing that needs to change. It is perfect, comfortable and flows really well. We feel free to challenge each other.”

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.

Leaders were committed to supporting staff who faced inequalities or difficulties in their personal lives. They were knowledgeable about the greater prevalence of personal trauma within the adult social care workforce, and their responsibilities to support staff in a way that was person centred to their unique life experience and challenges. Staff told us their lives had been transformed for the better by working for Folkestone Home Care and adjustments were made to allow them to work in a way that was physically and emotionally safe for them. Where staff had trauma or anxiety, the provider ensured rotas were prepared well in advance and tailored to them so they could plan ahead. Personal care plans were in place which included breathing exercises, wellbeing discussions and external support if needed. Staff told us this supported them to thrive and feel seen and understood in their place of work. Other staff had diagnoses of conditions such as dyslexia and stated they were given care information in a format that was accessible to them as well as sufficient time to read and understand them. Sometimes they may require information to be relayed visually or by talking it through, which the manager was always on hand to do. One staff member told us, “I was coming out of some serious grief before I started working here. It’s been an incredible experience. I couldn’t speak more highly of them and how much support I have received.” Another staff member added “The manager has been incredibly supportive and even offered to go to appointments with me when I am struggling with my health. I always am able to have time off when needed.”

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 strong governance systems that was based on regular checks on people’s care to ensure it continued to meet their needs and expectations. Care documentation was regularly reviewed with people to ensure it was up to date, and records were analysed to ensure people were getting the care they required. There were systems to monitor any risks to people posed by their health conditions and learn from any things that went wrong, as well as successes. Governance processes had ensured there were sufficient staff to support people, that they had sufficient knowledge and time to be able to provide safe and effective care that was responsive to people’s needs.

The provider always 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.

There were exceptionally strong relationships between the provider and partner organisations in the wider community. This included working collaboratively alongside other care providers to ensure continuity of care, for example where multiple different providers supported the same person. There were clear protocols of how Folkestone Home Care would inform these providers of any significant events or changes, and also work with them to provide safe transitions of care. They also made referrals where needed, for example if they were concerned that a person’s wellbeing was deteriorating or changing. They treated people as partners in their own care at all times. One person told us “The care is really holistic. They think about your needs but also what you like, and how you like things”.

People and relatives told us the provider advocated for them, and helped connect them with other organisations that could support them. This included pastoral or peer support for carers, support to ensure people could continue to live safely at home, and collaborative working to support complex transitions of care in a way that was dignified and safe.

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.

There was an ongoing commitment to continuous learning, and a culture where staff were empowered to make decisions together and challenge anything they thought could be better. The registered manager told us “We are all accountable and take responsibility for ourselves and I lead by example if I make an error, I am the first to discuss it with the team so they can learn”. A staff member added “If people’s needs change these are always communicated well. The team are always involved in making decisions together”. The provider was also a member of local provider group to share learning, and were always looking to improve the care they were providing.