Safe Hands Care & Support Services

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 remained 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.

The provider and the wider management team demonstrated a positive, compassionate and listening culture. Staff spoke positively about the support they received and the culture of the service. Comments included,“I think Safe Hand’s management is very good and I am very confidentin them”, “The managers are very supportive and guide the carers very well” and “The service provides safe and respectful care while supporting staff in their roles.”

There was a policy on equality and diversity. Staff all received training in this topic. People, their relatives and staff were encouraged to provide feedback on the service to help shape its future.

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.

There was an organisational structure in place and staff understood their roles, responsibilities and contributions to the service. The management team were responsive when things went wrong and took action to make improvements. Throughout the inspection, management and staff we spoke with acted with openness, integrity and transparency.

Staff told us they felt the leadership team had the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to support them effectively in their roles. They said the provider, managers and care co-ordinators addressed any concerns promptly. Staff also reported feeling well supported through regular meetings, supervision sessions and open communication with management. One staff member told us, “I believe the managers are leading the service very well. We are highly valued and appreciated in our employment. We are well trained and the management is very supportive. I would recommend this service to my family and friends.”

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

The service demonstrated a positive, compassionate and listening culture. Staff and leaders acted with openness, honesty and transparency. The service had a whistleblowing policy in place. Staff we spoke with told us they felt able to speak up about any issues and their concerns would be listened to and acted upon. Staff told us, “I understand the whistleblowing policy. If I see unsafe or poor practice, I know I must report it so the issue can be addressed” and “I can report concerns safely and action would be taken to address them.”

People and their relatives told us when they could raise concerns about their care and support when they needed to. They felt able to approach and speak with management and staff.

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 provider’s recruitment process and internal processes meant staff were recruited fairly and workforce equity was promoted. The provider employed a wide range of staff with diverse backgrounds.

Management understood the importance of having a fair and inclusive workplace. Staff received relevant training and supervision to support their knowledge and understanding of equality, inclusivity and fairness in the workplace.

Staff told us they felt they were valued, treated with respect, and the registered manager fostered an inclusive and fair environment.

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.

The day to day running of the service was overseen by the provide and manager, supported by staff with clearly defined responsibilities, including the deputy manager, care co-ordinators and field supervisors. This provided a clear management and staffing structure, and staff told us they understood their roles and responsibilities within the service.

Governance systems were in place to monitor the standard of care people received. Staff had regular contact with people and completed regular reviews, which also reviewed the quality of care received. Various regular meetings took place with different staff teams, which also looked at the quality of care and performance.

The provider had robust auditing systems in place and an internal auditing team to monitor the effectiveness of the service and drive improvements. Various auditing systems were in place and timely action was taken if follow up work was required. Regular audits of people’s care plans, medicine records and daily records took place.

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.

People’s care and support plans showed effective partnership working with other health and social care professionals.We found the provider was in contact with relevant health professionals to ensure people’s needs were met in a timely way.

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.

The management team worked closely with the local authority to review governance arrangements, strengthen quality assurance systems and support ongoing improvements within the service. This collaborative approach helped ensure the service continued to develop and maintain safe, well led and person-centred care.

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.

Processes were in place to ensure learning happened when things went wrong and examples of good practice to support further learning were shared. Feedback from people, relatives, and staff was actively sought through surveys, with responses used to inform service development.

Staff and the management team were passionate about the service and had worked hard to ensure people received safe, person-centred and high quality care, which met their individual needs. There was a continued focus on the development of staff and the service, with meaningful and effective quality assurance processes which supported continuous learning and improvement. Staff and the management team continued to have ideas and plans to further improve the experience of people using the service and were committed to the ongoing positive development of the service.