3HA Care 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

At the last inspection, the provider was in breach of the regulations. They had failed to ensure an effective system for the oversight and monitoring of the quality of the service was in place. At this assessment, we found safe recruitment processes, clear information about risks to people and care planning and systems in place to monitor the quality of the service people received. Improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of the regulations relating to the question of Well led. People and their family members thought the service was well managed. Contact with the office was easy and staff were responsive, and their issues were dealt with quickly. Communication with people through reviews of their care and follow up calls and visits were effective in ensuring they received a quality service. A person said, “I would recommend the service as I have found the staff, kind, very respectful, polite and the staff who come to us respect our home and our wishes.”

This service scored 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff were very positive about working for the service. They were aware of the vision and values of the service and the ethos of what 3HA stood for. They told us the registered manager made a point of meeting them, coming to training sessions to say hello and communicating via letters and emails. A staff member told us, “I can only praise 3HA, the management team know what they are doing, they are organised, they are on the ball.”

There was a defined structure within the service, with clear roles and responsibilities. Staff appreciated the support they received from their area managers and office staff and felt part of the 3HA team. A staff member said, “I’m really happy to have such a manager like [Name]. If I talk about my colleagues, then I have to use one word which is wonderful. They are like a family and I’m lucky to be a member of their team.” The provider was also the registered manager of 3HA Care Services. They had a good understanding of their responsibilities towards the people they supported. They promoted an open culture where everyone was valued and had a role to play. The amalgamation of previous systems had been completed and 3HA was now a branded company. Staff uniforms showed the company name and all information we saw had the 3HA logo. The registered manager told us, “I am extremely proud of everyone as it has been a real team effort to create the new improved 3HA.”

Staff were from a diverse work force and there was clear guidance of zero tolerance of bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Staff could raise any issues of concern and felt these would be dealt with quickly. A staff member said, " Support and communication with the managers and the director is brilliant. They are all good listeners, always there to direct you accordingly if there is any issues or concern.” Another said, “Staff are treated very well. For example, life got a little complicated for me, so managers agreed a working pattern to enable me to keep working but also manage my caring responsibilities.”

The registered manager had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They were open, honest and inclusive in their working approach and had a management team that worked well together. They had learnt lessons from the previous inspection and had been proactive in making the necessary improvements to ensure people and staff had a quality service to use and work for. A staff member told us, “The team’s resilience and the leadership’s proactive approach in addressing concerns keep spirits high. There is a culture of mutual respect, and morale stays positive, even during challenging times.” There were systems in place to gather, record and act on the views and concerns of people and their relatives. Compliments from people and their families about staff were shared with them to show they were appreciated. Staff were nominated monthly by the area managers to receive a token of gratitude for their contribution in their caring role.

There was a culture where staff felt they could speak up if they saw issues or poor practice in their work. They felt able to go to their area manager or the registered manager and be confident concerns would be investigated sensitively, and action taken. A staff member said, “I have the freedom to express my thoughts and concerns. I can call my manager and supervisors at any time for support which makes me feel comfortable discussing any issues or suggestions. I believe that my opinions are taken seriously, the work environment allows me to feel confident in sharing my perspectives and contributing to the team.”

Staff were reminded how to speak up during team meetings, supervision sessions and memos sharing information. The whistle blowing policy and procedure was accessible to staff should they wish to use it. A staff member said, “The company has policies in place which support fair treatment and communicates this clearly to all staff members.” Another said, “Treatment by colleagues and managers is with utmost respect and we do have the freedom to speak up as this helps in bringing discussions that benefit the organisation and the carer as an individual.”

The registered manager had developed an inclusive workforce and recognized the value of diversity amongst the team. There were enough staff who worked well together, with flexible rota and working arrangements. Staff members’ individual needs and protected characteristics were considered, and any reasonable adjustments made to ensure there were no barriers to them working for 3HA. A staff member said, “3HA ensures respect and fairness from both colleagues and managers. All employees are adequately trained and there is opportunity for growth, promotions based on merit, and performance rather than personal characteristics such as gender, background, or ethnicity.”

Systems had been developed to identify staff training and support needs and to find ways these could be met to enable them to do their job better, considering their protected characteristics. For example, encouraging staff new to the UK and if their first language was not English, to attend English classes; the use of a translate App on their phone to enable them to write their daily notes easier and clearer and, an information pack as to the local facilities, and British ways of driving.

Staff were pleased with the systems which had been implemented following the last inspection. They had all worked together to ensure they followed guidance and complete their tasks to the best of their ability, wanting to make 3HA a good place to work for them and providing good care to people. A staff member told us, “We learnt a lot of lessons and for me one was to be more diligent and look for the gaps where we could do better. We were all very supported by [Name of registered manager] and there was no blame placed on any of us, it was just a case of moving on and getting it right.”

Improvements had been made to the oversight of the quality and safety of the service. After the last inspection, the provider had employed a compliance and quality manager to oversee the quality and monitoring of the service. They had worked collaboratively as a team to identify the areas for improvement and had a clear action plan in implementing changes. We saw improvements had been made to risk assessments and up to date information in people’s care plans, a robust recruitment process, safe medicine management and a system of regular audits and quality monitoring. Some work was still ongoing to ensure the electronic management system provided all what they needed for the future development, oversight and functioning of the service. Work was also continuing on supporting staff to write the daily notes in a more person-centred way, not just recording the tasks they had completed but to ensure people’s feelings, emotions, and how they felt that day were captured. The provider had systems in place for incident management. There was evidence of incidents and accidents which had occurred, the action taken, and lessons learnt as a result. Effective disciplinary processes were in place. There were arrangements for the availability, integrity and confidentiality of data, records and data management systems. The registered manager made statutory notification when required and safeguarding notifications to the relevant local authorities as required.

We did not look at Partnerships and communities during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

There was a positive culture at the service. The registered manager, area managers, care staff and office team had worked collaboratively to make improvements to care provision. Governance and management systems, information about risks, performance, and outcomes were now used effectively to drive improvements. Staff were positive about their roles and the support they received from the senior team.

The registered manager encouraged staff to speak up with ideas for improvement and innovation and actively invest time to listen and engage. There was a strong sense of trust between the management team and staff. A staff member said, “There is a strong emphasis on allowing everyone the opportunity to voice their thoughts and share their perspectives. It has been empowering to know that my ideas and contributions are heard whether it’s during team meetings or casual discussions.” There were processes in place to ensure that learning happened when things went wrong. The registered manager had used reflection and collective problem-solving to move forward to make the necessary improvements. They told us, “I realised that I couldn’t do everything myself, so bringing someone in with specific skills and abilities was a very positive move. You have to know when you need help." The service had strong external relationships that supported improvement in the domiciliary care world and had stepped in and supported the sector when there was need.