Protective Care Group Limited

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

People and staff were supported by leaders and managers who were supportive and led by example. They fostered a culture of openness, collaborative working with the aim to drive improvement across the service and to improve people's quality of life. We assessed that the provider was delivering care using best practice for supporting people with a learning disability and autistic. The provider had developed clear systems of accountability and governance across each staff team and geographical area. However, some areas of the provider's governance systems needed to be strengthened. This would ensure the registered manager had a consistent and comprehensive oversight of each geographical team. A compliance manager had recently been employed to monitor and enhance the provider's quality management systems. However further time was needed to ensure their role and quality monitoring oversight was effective.

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.

Processes and plans were in place to ensure the provider's values and strategic plans were developed in line with the market need and in collaboration with people who use the service, staff and external partners. The registered manager recognised the need to remain transparent and maintain systems which continually enhanced people's human rights and reflected the needs of the local communities.

Most staff felt confident in the provider's vision and values to offer a 'bespoke and tailor-made support services to the families of children or adults with severe, complex needs who particularly exhibit challenging behaviour'. They said they were aware of the provider's vision and had a role in influencing the service. One staff member said, "Staff do have an influence on that, come up with new ideas ….. where all the deputy team leaders and managers come together and staff can share ideas on there. " Managers recognised the importance of expanding the service safely and with the correct resources to ensure people's quality of care was maintained and consistent across the country.

Staff told us they felt all the managers and leaders of the service were accessible and approachable. One staff member said, "We have the right leaders in position at the moment, they are very approachable and it is good environment with an open door policy and debriefs in the morning." The registered manager explained that the service benefited from 'a diverse array of leaders' from different backgrounds. They said all managers fostered a workplace environment which provided ongoing support to staff in a positive culture, with integrity and a commitment to deliver good quality care.

Since our last inspection the provider has enhanced its management team and employed key roles with relevant experience to help the management and governance of the service.

Staff were confident in their role and duty to 'speak up' and share their concerns with senior staff and managers. They said they were assured their views and concerns would be listened to and were aware of external agencies to report to if required. Staff said they understood the provider's whistleblowing policy. The registered manager stated they encourage staff to share their views and any concerns without any repercussions.

Systems were in place to enable staff to raise their concerns to key and local managers. The registered manager said they always ensured they were accessible through different communication systems due to the geographical distances between them and the individual staff teams. There was a culture of recognising when things went wrong, apologising and taking action to prevent further incidents.

Staff provided examples of how the provider had supported them in overcoming personal and work related issues such as adjusting their shift patterns to fit around their personal circumstances. One staff member said, "It is how the company looks after you and you feel part of the team and you feel involved and a part of Protective Care Group. " Staff said the provider had acknowledged staff dedication and contribution to people's care.

The provider was committed to ensure all their policies and procedures were underpinned by the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Incidents of misconduct and poor practices were acted on immediately. Effective communication systems were in place to engage and involve staff and to provide them with opportunities to raise concerns and shape the service and the teams they worked in.

Systems were in place to monitor people's care and support. For example, effective systems were being used to monitor incidents to identify trends and patterns of people's emotions and behaviours. The provider engaged and relied on external agencies to assist them in monitoring aspects of the service. However the provider's own governance systems had not been fully established to effectively audit all parts of the service. Whilst we found no impact on people, we found systems to monitor the records of people's medicines and infection control in people's home were not fully embedded. The quality of staff supervision records and frequency of staff of their one to one meetings were not in line with the provider's policy on staff development. Not all of the provider's policies reflected current and best practice to guide staff. The registered manager was responsive to our feedback and provided assurances that plans were in place to review the provider's quality frameworks and policies. A compliance coordinator had been employed to support the registered manager with this area of work.

Staff confirmed that members of the leadership team regularly visited the staff teams and checked the quality of work and records relating to people's care. Any shortfalls were highlighted to staff to ensure care was recorded and being delivered in line with the providers policies and procedures. The registered manager was aware that improvement was needed to the provider's governance systems to ensure consistency in the quality of care across the teams who supported people in different geographical areas. They provided example's of actions that had been taken to drive improvement as a result of lessons learnt from incidents.

We did not receive any feedback from the provider's partners; however other evidence categories assured the commission that the provider actively engaged with relevant professionals to seek support in a timely manner and implemented their recommendations.

The registered manager and staff said they were aware of their duty to support teams to develop good working relationships with key professionals and people's families. They said, "We work hard to form open and collaborative working relationships with all key people in the young person's life."

Relatives agreed that staff shared relevant information with key professionals in a timely manner with the aim to work jointly to achieve the best outcomes for people. A relative said, "Generally, I think Protective Care Group work with well other HC professionals to support [name] care and they all work out what is best for [name] and I am happy with that."

Processes were in place to engage with people and their families to ensure people received consistent care which met their needs and wishes. The provider worked collaboratively with relevant professionals to identify strengths and shortfalls in the delivery and management of people's care with the aim to drive improvement. Systems of communication with funding authorities and professionals ensured the provider's integrity and transparency at all times.

Processes had been put into place to identify and report incidents, and reflect on staff practices. Staff were encouraged to learn from the incidents, share their views and make suggestions to prevent further incidents with the aim to improve people's quality of life.

Most staff felt the provider had a strong culture and ethos to support staff to train, enhance their skills and develop. They told us staff teams had the right mixture of skills and experience to support individual people. Staff said there was a strong relationship between the local staff teams and throughout the organisation. Staff debriefs and supervisions enabled staff to reflect on incidents and how they had managed changes in people's behaviours. This practice enabled staff to personally develop and improve the care people received.