Optimam Complex 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.

This is the first assessment for this registered service. This key question has been rated 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 were positive about the culture and approach at the service. One member of staff told us, “I do feel supported. There’s a culture of looking after one another, and managers make an effort to ensure we feel valued and listened to.”

Staff felt proud to work for the service and delivering good quality care to the children and their families. They knew and understood the visions, values and mission statement of the service.

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 gave positive feedback regarding leadership at the service. One member of staff told us, “I’ve had a positive experience with management. They communicate clearly, are open to questions, and show appreciation for our work. They’re visible in day-to-day operations and responsive when issues arise. I’ve seen them act on feedback, which helps build trust and accountability.”

The manager was experienced, suitably qualified and knowledgeable in their role. They had begun the process to register with CQC. They understood their regulatory responsibilities and had submitted statutory notifications, as required.

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

Staff confirmed there was an open culture at the service and felt they would be listened to if they spoke up. One member of staff told us, “We are encouraged to speak up and share concerns. There is a clear whistleblowing policy in place, and we’re regularly reminded of how to use it if we ever feel something isn’t right. It’s reassuring to know that our voices matter.”

We saw that a range of methods and opportunities were made available to staff to enable them to speak up. These included supervision sessions, peer to peer meetings, team meetings, surveys and access to a whistleblower service external to the service if needed.

The provider had an up-to-date whistleblowing policy.

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.

The service had a diverse workforce.

The provider had a suite of policies to support equality, diversity and inclusion.

All staff were invited to participate in meetings and surveys which included opportunities for them to provide feedback on their experiences. All staff confirmed the provider was accommodating to their specific personal circumstances and celebrated their cultural differences.

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.

Staff told us they knew their roles and responsibilities and were positive about the management and running of the service.

The provider had a system of audits and checks. Actions from these were included in improvement plans and shared with relevant staff, partners and stakeholders. They used a wide range of methods to ensure effective oversight of the service and that children were experiencing a service in line with their expectations.

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.

Relatives told us they were supported to access other professionals, where needed, in relation to the children’s health, safety and wellbeing.

Staff told us they were provided with information and outcomes following children’s assessments, reviews and health appointments. This supported them to work in accordance with up-to-date information.

There was a clear system to ensure partnership working with health social care professionals, and local partners.

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.

Staff told us they felt that continual learning was promoted at all levels at the service. One member of staff told us, “We have regular team meetings, handovers, and occasional training days where we can come together, share experiences, and discuss how to improve the service. These meetings are really helpful and help us stay connected as ateam.”

All processes were used to effectively identify where learning and improvement was needed. Actions were recorded, planned for and completed.

The provider’s quality assurance system covered all aspects of the service and included children and their families’ experiences, and feedback received. Where learning was identified, this was approached positively.