Angel Care North 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. At the last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection 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 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 an exceptional shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding the challenges and needs of people and the community. The management team had developed a tangible culture of delivering services which modelled the best aspects of family life. Staff had embraced this approach and were passionate about providing good care outcomes and took ownership for their practice. Staff told us the service was “a friendly and welcoming” and spoke about a culture where “all staff views are important” and everyone contributed to improvements. People, relatives, and staff explained how the management were genuinely committed to putting people’s needs first. Numerous examples were provided about the actions the team had taken to ensure people continued to have a good quality of life and be active players in their own lives. People described how they felt like ‘respected family members,’ and ‘nothing was any trouble,’ which had significantly improved their sense of wellbeing.

The management team were exceptionally inclusive, knowledgeable and supportive and demonstrated a strong commitment to providing high-quality, person-centred care. Staff were extremely positive about the management team and described receiving support from managers, coordinators, and office staff. Management operated an open-door approach and staff consistently reported knowing who to contact when they needed advice or support. Staff found if they had concerns, the management team responded to these promptly. The team always provided staff with additional guidance and training, when required. A staff member said, “All of Angel Care North Ltd staff are fantastic with clients, well trained and very well equipped. Our coordinators are always happy to help with anything that may need to be spoken about. Our office staff have a great range of communication skills, via face-to-face meetings or pop ins or emails.”

The management team consistently recognised and valued staff contributions. Staff said their work was regularly acknowledged and praised, and senior managers responded promptly and compassionately when they raised concerns or needed personal support. Staff described leaders as “approachable, supportive and available” and said they felt “trusted, valued and supported.”

The provider promoted an open culture where staff felt confident speaking up and believed their views would be heard and acted on. Staff could raise concerns, provide feedback and suggest improvements through meetings, direct contact with managers and staff surveys. An open-door policy enabled concerns to be raised directly with management, while anonymous surveys provided a confidential way for staff to share their views. The management team shared survey findings and the actions planned in response. Staff said concerns, including safeguarding matters, were taken seriously and addressed promptly.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. The provider and registered manager valued diversity and ensured they followed best practice guidance. Staff described a respectful environment where everyone worked really well as part of a team and spoke positively about the support they received from leaders.Training was available to help staff understand people’s diverse needs, and care records showed good consideration of cultural, personal and communication preferences.

The provider had clear roles, responsibilities and systems of accountability to support effective governance and the delivery of good-quality, sustainable care. The management team maintained effective oversight of the service through quality assurance systems that monitored risk, performance and outcomes and identified areas for improvement. Risk assessments and care plans were reviewed when people’s needs changed, with relevant information shared with staff to ensure care remained appropriate. Feedback from people and staff was used to inform improvements. Survey findings were reviewed by the management team, and a new template had been introduced to strengthen how actions taken and resulting outcomes were recorded.

Staff worked well in partnership with other organisations and community services to promote positive outcomes for people. Staff worked with a range of health and social care professionals according to people's individual needs, including district nurses, GPs, occupational therapists, speech and language services, social workers, safeguarding teams and other specialist professionals. Professionals consistently described collaborative working relationships and told us staff communicated effectively and involved them appropriately in people's care and support.

The management team had an exceptional culture of continuous learning and improvement. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. Staff were actively involved in improving the service and described how their suggestions were implemented. Regular meetings enabled staff to share what was working and what could be improved, including meetings focused specifically on people with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Feedback from people and staff was also used to drive improvement. Surveys were reviewed by the office team, and a new template had been developed so actions arising from feedback and their outcomes could be better documented.

The management team promoted continuing professional development and a broad range of learning beyond mandatory requirements, including condition-specific training and qualifications. They continually reviewed quality assurance systems to identify where they could be enhanced, while staff described a culture where ideas for positive change were welcomed and put into practice. A staff member said, “I’m always interested in understanding how well we are doing and if there is any room for improvement. I ask a good range of questions to learn new things and different ways to do things. My suggestions have been used in a few different situations.”