Caring Hands Nottingham 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 promoted an open, fair culture.

At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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 management team 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 in their feedback about their feelings of involvement in the service. One staff member said, “I feel supported by management, they are easy to reach. I can call them or email them any time and any issues are handled well.”

The management team supplied a service improvement plan detailing their plans for future growth of the service. The management team ensured they used information from internal audits, partners and commissioners effectively to ensure service improvements were planned, analysed and robustly implemented.

The management team 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.

People’s human rights were embraced. Staff treated people with dignity and respect. One relative told us, “My relative has a diagnosis of dementia and I do feel the staff have an understanding of dementia, with the way they communicate with them by not making things too complicated. They deal with my family member with compassion and empathy.”

The management team fostered a positive culture where people and the staff team felt they could speak up and their voices would be heard.

There was regular engagement with people and their representatives to ensure people could share concerns and be confident these would be addressed. One relative told us, “If I had any sort of complaint, I would ring the office and speak to them. They were also able to provide some 24-hour care for my family member, at fairly short notice which was excellent. I couldn't ask for a more compassionate team.”

Staff were confident about raising their concerns, and felt the management team would support them. One staff member told us, “We work hand in hand with the management team and any views I have are listened to and acted upon.” Another staff member said, “The company has several communication channels that are used between carers and management thus allowing for a sense of security.”

The management team 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 management team had ensured that all staff had completed training in Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity. People and staff felt their cultural identity was valued and respected.

Staff gave positive feedback about the culture and support for workforce wellbeing. One staff member said, “Caring Hands Nottingham has team building activities like end of year functions, which have helped to enhance teamwork and to foster stronger relationships among my workmates and in building overall workplace morale.”

The management team had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

People, relatives and staff were largely positive about the management of the service, although not everyone we spoke with had met the registered manager. One relative told us, “They are very contactable and there's always somebody who answers if I do need to phone them, but I've very rarely phoned the office. There is a member of the team who is lovely in the office, and I've spoken to them about some billing issues.” Another relative told us, “Any carers who cover for the two regular carers are also good and seem to know exactly what to do. I do feel that my family member is safe. Having worked in care myself I know what I would want for my relative and that is what they give us.”

One staff member told us, “I feel the service is well managed by the registered manager and their team.”

The management team understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked effectively for people. They shared information with partners and collaborated for improvement.

The majority of people and their relatives felt the service worked well in collaboration with external health and social care teams. One relative told us, “There is an information pack in the house which they've left there with all the contact details in it. I can't think of anything negative to say about them. We are very happy with the care they provide.” Another relative told us, “We had a meeting last week, and a member of Caring Hands came to the meeting with social services and the district nurses. It was really just a general discussion about where we're at but there was nothing that needed to be changed. I'm sure they would deal with it if I had anything that I was unhappy about.”

People and their relatives told us their choices were respected, and staff understood their needs well. People reported that staff were friendly, kind and respectful and maintained their confidentiality. People told us staff supported them to retain independence where they were able. One person said, “The regular carer who comes to me is so kind, polite and respectful. He always tidies up after himself and is very efficient in what he does. What he does is done efficiently and he is a kind person. In fact, they have all been kind.”

Staff were passionate about their roles and spoke positively about their experiences. One staff member said, “Working for Caring Hands Nottingham has contributed in ensuring that as carers we work as ambassadors of the company and the community as it encourages stronger community engagement. I am able to collaborate effectively as I engage with the service users efficiently building stronger relationships and trust with them.”

The management team 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 and effective practice.

People and their relatives felt confident they could raise any concerns with their regular care staff or the management team. People felt if they did have any complaints or concerns, they would be addressed by the service. However, only a couple of people had needed to speak to the service about any concerns.

Staff were confident in their skills and knowledge. They explained they felt supported by the management team to progress and gain further skills in their roles. One staff member told us, “For myself, the service has helped in accelerating my learning curve and boosting my confidence in my service delivery. Being paired with experienced colleagues has helped ensure safety for me and sharing knowledge has provided me with much needed emotional support.” Another staff member told us, “I would say working for Caring Hands has brought a sense of purpose and satisfaction as my work offers continuous learning and career growth opportunities.”

Another member of staff spoke positively about the transparency of the management team, “During induction I was told the company runs an open-door policy. The management team have encouraged me to communicate openly with them. It has encouraged me to speak openly with my supervisors at any time. This practice has helped to build trust and accessibility, as I am able to voice my concerns, share ideas and also seek guidance without fear of retaliation or bureaucracy. If I face a challenge with a service user, I am able to immediately seek advice from my supervisor, which promotes quick problem solving, as issues are addressed promptly. I feel comfortable and motivated whenever my voice is heard, as my supervisors are approachable.”