The examples below provide insight into how other Good or Outstanding rated services are succeeding in this area of inspection.
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Cost of living support
The provider invested in the service to ensure the provision of the highest quality care and support and retention of staff.
Staff had recently received two cost of living bonuses alongside a pay increase. The provider pay staff their sleep-in allowance when they are on holiday, so they don't lose any money whilst on leave. Counselling sessions had been provided for staff who had experienced periods of difficulty.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Orbis Support Offices
Date published: March 2023
Growing your team
Providing development opportunities is a great way to grow your team and help take the pressure off frontline managers. Risedale Estates provides a range of career pathways, offering opportunities for the team to stay and develop with them. This blog explains the different opportunities they offer, covering from initial induction through to specialist nursing roles.
Care provider: Risedale Estates
Date published: March 2023
Supporting staff to grow into new roles
Care provider David Lewis offer learning and development opportunities to encourage staff to stay with them long-term. Providing career progression opportunities supports both retention and wellbeing as staff are able to achieve their goals. This blog highlights some of the practical steps that David Lewis offered to develop a colleagues into more senior roles.
Care provider: David Lewis
Date published: March 2023
Building career pathways for staff to learn and grow
Castleford House Nursing Home have introduced both new roles and career pathways which allow staff to develop their skills and progress within their organisation. This process not only means that staff are continually learning new skills and innovative ways of working, but it also helps to support with staff retention.
One of the new roles is Head of Lifestyles; which is part of the activities department overseeing the team of activity co-ordinators. This new role allowed their existing activity coordinator role but also learn new skills and responsibilities, such as leadership and people management. Read the full blog here.
Care provider: Castleford House Nursing Home
Date published: February 2023
Using staff engagement groups
There was a staff engagement group for all grades of staff who met regularly to discuss ideas for driving positive change. The aim of the group was to make Eglantine a more positive experience for everyone. The group attended engagement events and focused days regularly to discuss ideas. For example, the group had suggested setting up a menopause support group for staff.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Eglantine Villa
Date published: February 2023
Multiple opportunities and innovative ways to develop yourself further
The provider had a proactive support and appraisal system for staff, which recognised that continuing development of skills, competence and knowledge was integral to ensuring high-quality care and support. Records showed, and staff told the CQC there were several opportunities and pathways for staff to develop.
The provider had made a commitment to invest in staff individuals and grow their own staff. For example, two members of staff had qualified as nurse associates and an additional two had started the programme. These staff spoke passionately about the support they were getting and were grateful the provider saw the potential in them.
The provider had also planned care home assistant practitioner (CHAPS) training pathway for care staff. Staff felt extremely well supported to develop their skills and knowledge to meet people's individual needs.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: The Royal Star & Garter Home - High Wycombe
Date published: January 2023
Free counselling sessions and a menopause group
Staff well-being was championed. Staff had access to wellbeing resources designed for front line workers which included free counselling sessions, dealing with prolonged stress at work and caring for yourself. A menopause group had also been started to support some of the staff team.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Burwood Nursing Home
Date published: September 2022
What does wellbeing at work really mean?
In this Blog, we speak to Dr Chloe Schneider, Clinical Lead at the Keeping Well NWL Staff Support Service, about what wellbeing at work really encompasses.
Care provider: Keeping Well
Date published: July 2022
How data can help you think about your staff’s health and happiness
In this Blog, we look at what data you can use to measure the health and happiness of your workforce. It explains how data on turnover rates, sickness levels, and staff satisfaction surveys can all help you to think about wellbeing needs.
Care provider: Skills for Care
Date published: June 2022
Wellbeing challenges and advice for domiciliary care workers
In this Blog, we look at what you can do look after the wellbeing of the domicilary care workforce. We spoke to Nicola Wilson, Care Manager of Crossroads Care on what she feels helps in regards to remote working and other issues.
Care provider: Crossroads Care
Date published: June 2022
Social care managers share their advice on creating a happy and healthy workplace
In this Blog, we spoke to a range of social care managers to find out more about the strategies and initiatives they have in place to create a positive work environment for their teams.
Care provider: Various
Date published: June 2022
Wellbeing pledge
Friends of the Elderly has introduced a new online workplace mental health platform as part of its ‘Wellbeing pledge’ to staff. Click here to learn more about what this charity which runs care homes, day care services and a grant giving service for older people living on low incomes has done.
Care provider: Friends of the Elderly
Date published: May 2022
Supervisions improve care delivery
There are many advantages to effective supervision, but a potentially lesser-known benefit is how it supports how happy employees feel at work. Lucy Knight, Registered Manager of Valerie Manor shares her insights.
Read the full blog here.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Valerie Manor
Date published: December 2021
1-2-1 counselling and other wellbeing support for the staff team
At Valerie Manor, we believe caring not only involves caring for our residents but each other, the whole team. For several years we’ve provided 1-1 or group counselling/reflection for staff if they need it for their physical or mental wellbeing.
As a company we also pay for all staff to have access to a BUPA helpline for free confidential advice around financial, physical or emotional problems. During the pandemic we’ve seen more staff and their families struggle financially, so we’ve also promoted and helped staff apply for grants from the Care Workers Charity which has been life-changing for so many. We believe that by caring for each other as a team, the residents will in turn be cared for well.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Valerie Manor
Date published: November 2021
Supporting wellbeing during the pandemic
Throughout the last few years, MHA has maintained a strong strategic focus on wellbeing which was elevated with the development of our Engaging Leadership programme in 2019.
Due to this strategic focus, MHA’s executive leaders and board were integral to the development and support of the plans to offer a broader range of wellbeing support for our colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As with all good social care providers, our people are incredibly important to us, so we knew it was essential to protect them and look after their mental and physical wellbeing through this unprecedented time.
Between March and December 2020, our wellbeing initiatives included manager wellbeing webinars in spring 2020, developed to support managers to have an opportunity to explore and share the early challenges they were facing through COVID-19, as well as an online wellbeing toolkit, executive leader wellbeing calls and regular Zoom meetings with our executive.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Methodist Homes (MHA)
Date published: January 2021
Ensuring wellbeing support is available
With the unprecedented challenges that COVID-19 has brought across the country, and especially the health and social care sector, it’s never been more important to support employee health and wellbeing, which is why we’ve introduced some new initiatives to our already robust health and wellbeing support programme.
These include the ‘we care’ package of additional support for colleagues, featuring initiatives such as free meals for all colleagues on shift, a free food ordering service through our catering supplier with a 10% subsidised discount, and financial support for colleagues whose children get free school meals.
We’ve also started our Above and Beyond award to recognise colleagues going the extra mile and introduced free online mindfulness training to help to reduce stress, increase focus and improve happiness. These sit alongside existing packages such as our mental health first aiders, and our coaching team.
Care provider: Exemplar Health Care
Date published: April 2020
Outstanding internal communications
The service has a head of internal communications and employee engagement who’s responsible for staff engagement. They report directly to the chief executive officer and were independent to the operations team.
Care workers were kept up to date with any important changes or news in the organisation through a number of regular updates. These included a weekly operations update which came directly from the COO, a monthly internal newsletter with a 'softer' focus including stories and successes from people and a monthly 'core brief'.
To increase engagement, the provider had developed social forums groups on the care worker community intranet group. There were a number of groups dedicated to sharing tips, concerns, resources and general support. Groups included cooking tips and recipes, end of life care, dementia, travel group, and a getting together group. These provided a valuable sounding board for care staff who often worked alone.
The provider was aware of the importance of promoting workforce wellbeing and the positive impact this would have on the quality and continuity of care. They’d started a number of initiatives to help ensure their carers who often worked in isolation were well supported and were given emotional support.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: The Good Care Group
Date published: April 2019
Rewarding a caring culture
To promote a caring culture, the registered manager had introduced care awards for people supported and staff. The awards were to recognise achievement and promote positivity.
The awards included 'most improved', 'shining star', 'outstanding contribution', 'most person-centred' and 'best team’. The registered manager organised an annual social event, which included a meal and entertainment.
The event was sponsored by local businesses and the town's mayor presented the awards. One person supported by the service very proudly showed us their award, which meant a lot to them.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Community Support Service (D.D.H. Services Ltd)
Date published: March 2019
Outstanding range of staff support
Staff communicated effectively within the team and shared information through regular daily handovers. Staff received appraisals, supervision and completed staff performance evaluation forms with their line manager.
They had opportunities to discuss any issues during their one-to-one supervision, appraisals and at the workshops to determine how best to meet people's needs effectively. Staff completed their performance evaluation before a supervision or appraisal; these documents spoke in person-centered language and focussed on what was best for people's quality of life and how they could improve further.
One question aske:, "what new things have you learnt about people recently?" All evaluation said how staff felt able to speak openly and frankly about themselves and their role.
There was a health and wellbeing staff representative who attended external council workshops and shared ideas at staff workshops. For example, staff all worked one 12-hour shift and then smaller shifts as the provider felt home/life balance was important. Staff breaks were delegated and monitored to ensure staff took them.
New team members were welcomed in the staff newsletter, staff efforts were recognised and praised, and any ideas welcomed. For example, following the achievement of the Level 1 Butterfly Dementia Care Award, staff had a party as a thank you from the provider.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Wisteria House Dementia Care Ltd
Date published: January 2019
Giving staff space to talk about the impact of the job
As part of providing emotional support for staff, Schwartz Centre Rounds had recently been introduced. These were forums for staff from all backgrounds and levels of the organisation to come together once a month and explore the impact that their job had on their feelings and emotions. The aim was to offer staff a safe environment in which to share their stories and offer support to one another.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Rewarding staff for their dedication
The organisation introduced an annual ‘duvet day’ awarded to any colleague who achieved 100% attendance. Other retention-related initiatives include ‘wow vouchers’ to thank staff for providing a service above and beyond what’s expected. Staff are encouraged to put forward new ideas with additional prizes available.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: PossAbilities CIC
Date published: April 2018
Maintaining constant managerial support
The serviced ensured that either the registered manager or a deputy manager were on duty seven days a week. This ensured there was managerial support available every day.
Relatives of people using the service felt particularly reassured as there was always someone on duty who could give them a full update on their relative’s care.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Developing resilience through professional support
In a service where some of the residents had challenging behaviour, effective training helped staff retention but some staff were still leaving. The manager arranged for a psychologist to attend, giving staff the opportunity to talk about incidents and the impact this behaviour had on them, which helped to build resilience rather than leaving the service.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Prioritising supervision during inductions
Inductions were revised to increase the number of times care assistants were required to meet with the care manager. This included additional reviews at four and eight weeks.
In addition to ongoing supervision and support, the reviews provided more formal opportunities to review performance and address any areas of concerns. People who used the service benefited from an increase in the level of monitoring and support for new staff.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Meeting daily with staff across the service
The service held a daily head of department meeting, which was inclusive, e.g., involving the kitchen and maintenance staff etc. The CQC inspector saw that everyone in the meeting knew the individuals using the service well, and together discussed the most effective ways to involve them in activities.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Sharing and reflecting on caring practice
The service has focused on ensuring that examples of caring are regularly recorded and shared with staff.
From managers observing good caring practice and documenting it to regular discussions with care workers in supervisions, the service ensures that they reflect on this, evidence it and raise wider awareness. This means that all are then prepared with practical examples to share with the CQC inspectors and others.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Staying connected through technology
Our managers and carers may not be able to regularly meet for handovers, but we use free software such as WhatsApp to keep everyone updated.
Read more about the service here.
Care provider: Amber Support Services
Date published: April 2018