Helping Hands Liverpool

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 our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement . At this inspection the rating has improved to good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

At our last inspection the provider was in breach of regulation in relation to governance and records. During this inspection improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation.

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 consistently spoke positively about their roles and the values of the organisation. One staff member said, “Managers are amazing, good care plans in place, no issues.” The provider had systems in place to promote a culture of kindness and respect, which was echoed in feedback from people and families. Governance reviews showed lessons learnt were shared and discussed in team meetings.

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. Leadership was described as approachable and supportive. Staff told us they felt confident raising concerns and were well supported in their roles. One staff member said, “Managers are amazing and rotas are good.” Monthly governance reviews included informal check-ins with carers to ask ‘Are you OK?’ which showed a compassionate approach to staff wellbeing. A healthcare professional also praised leadership stating, “I know that when I contact Helping Hands, I am going to speak to a person who will listen and who wants the best care for their service users.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff felt safe to raise concerns and understood the whistleblowing policy. Complaints were well recorded and mapped, with clear actions taken to prevent recurrence. For example, refresher training and Human Resources support were provided following concerns about staff conduct and communication. Staff told us they could approach managers with safeguarding concerns and felt listened to.

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. Staff feedback indicated the workplace was inclusive and supportive. One staff member said, “I work within the office where staff work together positively.” There were no concerns raised about discrimination or inequality. The provider had policies in place to support equality and diversity, and staff were trained in safeguarding and respectful care practices.

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 in place and were regularly reviewed. Monthly governance summaries identified areas of strength, such as recruitment and training, and areas for improvement, including documentation, complaints, and visit protocols. Audit findings were shared with staff and actions were tracked. Two people’s care plans required updates, which were addressed. The provider responded to incidents such as falls and medication errors with appropriate follow-up and documentation.

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. A professional described joint working with Helping Hands as, “Fluid and coordinated,” highlighting a case where carers supported a person with limited awareness of their needs. A strong commitment to partnership working and community engagement was seen throughout this inspection.

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. Governance reviews included lessons learnt and action plans. Staff were held accountable for completing actions. Training completion rates were high, with 96.3% of staff having completed all required courses. Improvements were identified through audits, including robust documentation and compliance checks. Staff were reminded to avoid vague notes and abbreviations, and refresher training was planned where needed.