St Anne's Community Services - York DCA

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

We identified a continued breach in respect of the governance of the service. There had been several changes in management, and this had impacted the progression of improvements. We received positive feedback about the new management team. However, more time was needed for these improvements to be embedded and sustained. A new system of audits had been introduced and an organisation improvement plan was in place. Some improvements had been made since the previous inspection, particularly around the safety of the service. However, further improvements were required around the delivery of person-centred care and supporting people to lead as fulfilling lives as possible. Some issues identified on inspection had not been identified by leaders and staff. The provider had clear values in place and staff told us the culture had improved over the last few months. Staff told us they were confident to speak up and raise any concerns. Staff were confident management would act on any concerns. The provider had a number of organisational commitments and supported the local community.

This service scored 61 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff spoke about the staff team all having the common goal of ensuring people were well cared for. Staff told us the culture had improved over the last few months with the new management team in place. One staff member told us, “There is a good staff team now. Staff are really interested in the job, the service has been made a much more pleasant place to work and a much better place for people to live.”

The provider’s values were discussed in team meetings and personal development reviews for staff. They were also available on the provider’s website and ran through the provider’s policies which staff were required to read.

Staff spoke positively about the new management team. However, there had been multiple changes in management and staff spoke about the impact of this. Staff told us they had not always felt listened to, valued or supported, under some previous leaders.

The new management team was enthusiastic about the service and visible and available to staff. Senior management visited the service to offer support and guidance. Systems were in place to include staff in the running of the service, including regular staff meetings. However, there had been multiple changes of management, and the more positive leadership needed to be sustained and embedded.

Staff told us they were confident to speak up and raise any concerns. Staff also told us they felt confident that management would act on any concerns raised. Staff feedback included, “The deputy manager replies straight away and takes things seriously” and, “[Management] listen to us.” Staff knew how to contact senior management if required.

A whistleblowing policy was in place which was easily accessible to staff, including on the provider’s website. There was an open-door policy and various opportunities for staff to speak up including in team meetings, supervisions and appraisals.

Staff raised no concerns about equality and diversity and how they were treated by management and the provider. Staff were happy in their roles, felt supported and involved.

The provider supported staff with different learning styles and promoted diversity within the staff teams. Staff received equality and diversity training during their induction.

Staff spoke positively about the management team. However, the management team was newly in post and more time was needed to ensure improvements continued, become embedded and sustained. There had been multiple changes in management and staff told us this had impacted the quality of the service and the pace of improvement.

There was a clear management structure and a newly introduced senior support worker role. A new audit system was in place. However, improvements were recent, and further improvements were required. Not all issues we identified in our assessment had been identified or addressed by the audit systems in place. The provider remained in breach of 2 regulations despite previous enforcement action. More time was needed to demonstrate evidence of sustained, longer-term improvements.

People were referred to other services appropriately and professionals’ advice and recommendations were incorporated into people’s support plans.

Staff knew how to safely support people to access services, places and appointments, in a way which caused as little distress as possible. Leaders told us how they supported a local café and garden centre which was run by people with a learning disability and autistic people.

We received no negative feedback from partners about the engagement of the service with them.

The provider had a number of organisational commitments including around delivering social value to the community. The provider had appointed a number of ‘leads’ which supported involvement with partners and the oversight of this.

Leaders told us about action plans in place and were motivated regarding the continuous improvement of the service. Although feedback about learning and improvement was positive, there was a new management team in place and this team needed time to embed a learning culture in the service. Some staff told us about trying new activities and new foods with people but there was not always a commitment from all staff regarding these improvements and trying new things.

Processes were in place to support a learning culture, but these had not yet been embedded and further learning and improvements were required. Monthly staff meetings took place where learning could be shared. A new system of audits had been introduced and an organisation improvement plan was in place. Some improvements had been made since the previous inspection, particularly around the safety of the service. However, further improvements were required around the delivery of person-centred care and supporting people to lead as fulfilling lives as possible. Some issues identified on inspection had not been identified by leaders and staff.