Freedom Care 24/7 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 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 inspection for this newly 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.

Staff worked in line with the providers shared vision and values when supporting people. The registered manager told us, “We have had training on closed cultures and I monitor [care worker’s] logs every single day. I call the family every month to ensure staff are applying the correct values. I want to make sure [the staff] are working according to how they have been trained and ensure people are happy, their dignity is prompted, the staff are respectful, and staff are addressing them how they wish.”

There was a clear direction at the service, which emphasised the importance of an open culture. The provider’s values focused on delivering high quality person- centred care.

Staff said the management team were supportive, accessible and treated them with compassion. Comments from care workers included, “They are respecting me and I am respecting them. If I face any problems they will sort this out and they are very supportive,” and “Oh yeh, they always have a good relationship. They look after me very well.”

There was a clear management structure in place and staff knew their roles and responsibilities. There were clear reporting systems so staff knew what to escalate and to whom, to ensure appropriate action was taken

Staff told us they felt comfortable to speak to the management team and confident they would be listened too. They were aware of the whistleblowing procedure and emphasised the importance of being open and honest with the management team. One member of staff said, “My line manager is very accessible. If you find an issue, he is someone that is there and you can call him any time…… He is not dismissive and works things through with you and makes sure you understand and understands your point of view as well.”

A whistleblowing policy was in place.

Staff felt there was inclusivity amongst the team and supported by management. A member of staff said, “My colleague was super cooperative and we help each other……They are so helpful.” Another care worker told us, “If my kids are not well, they (management team) will be understanding and send another member of staff. They pay attention to details like this and give you that support.”

An equalities and diversity policy was in place that recognised staff needs and an inclusive culture at the service.

Staff told us the management team regularly checked the care they were delivering, to ensure they were supporting people in a safe and effective way, adhering to people’s individual care needs, and identifying any areas for improvement. Staff told us, “They check and ask me to show them what I am doing with the client.” The registered manager told us about the governance systems they had in place, which included a range of internal audits as well as audits undertaken by the franchise groups’ quality team. They said, “I find the process helpful and anyone coming to undertake an audit is a bonus to us. Someone outside the agency will see more things as they are not here every day.”

A comprehensive governance system was in place, which included a programme of audits. This enabled the management team to have clear oversight of the service and ensure a quality service was provided that met people’s needs.

People and relatives worked in partnership with the staff and management team. Relatives felt involved in service delivery and how their family member was supported. They were regularly asked for their feedback about the service, so it could be adapted if necessary. They told us, “[The registered manager] always calls me and is asking if I’m happy,” “I get feedback from the staff after every call,” and “The manager rings to check if everything is ok.”

Staff told us they are often asked for their feedback about the provider. Care workers we spoke to emphasised the importance of working together and communicating to provide safe and effective support for people. One member of staff said, “They do ask me, they are always improving, and new staff are recruited. When you have new people there are always staff to help.”

Partner agencies felt they were unable to comment on the arrangements in place for partnership working.

A regular satisfaction survey was sent to staff, people and relatives to obtain their feedback about the service. Partner agencies were also asked for feedback about their experiences of working with the provider. The results from these surveys were extremely positive. Should it be required, there were systems in place to learn from and improve practices based on feedback received.

Staff told us there were opportunities to learn and improve their practise. A care worker said, “Yes, there is always lots of training. I have yearly mandatory training and I am all up to date.” We were also told the management team monitored care delivery and identified any areas for improvement. A care worker said, “The manager will tell me if I’m doing good job or if I need more training.” The registered manager welcomed external overview of their service and found it a useful process to learn from and improve practices. They also engaged in local forums and external training sessions to further improve their knowledge and practices.

There was a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Findings from governance systems were incorporated into continuous improvement plans, and we saw timely action was taken to address any shortcoming.