Apollo Care Blackpool

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 service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. This is the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated 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 82 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities. There was a strong and clear vision from the provider which focused on bringing people’s experience of care and support together to learn from the best parts of it and improve other parts. The provider strived for excellence and said, “We want to lead by example so other care providers raise their standards towards supporting staff (and managers) and remove barriers for their service users and become person centred.” We saw how the provider had made significant changes within the office structure to ensure there was a dedicated and trained staff member available every day to attend people’s homes, complete weekly medication audits, and complete 24-hour care package turn around to ensure all information was in place before staff met new people. Staff told us this approach made a huge difference, as they felt confident supporting people because everything was arranged and in place. A relative told us, “It is so well organised; they know exactly what needs to be there to support [family member].” Another relative said, “It’s the little things they do; it just makes a huge difference. I would absolutely recommend them.” Staff who spoke with us understood the culture and the vision of Apollo Care Blackpool.

The service 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. Throughout our inspection the registered manager and provider were open, transparent, and encouraged and promoted their staff, people who used the service and relatives, and stakeholders to engage with us and share their own experiences. We were shown how new systems had been implemented, such as a more complex technology system which ensured staff had access to user friendly care applications ensuring they could do their jobs smoothly and without interruption.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. All of the staff we spoke with said they would not hesitate to speak up. Comments included, “The managers at Apollo are all very approachable. I never feel if I have a problem, work or personal, that I can't speak to someone.” Another staff member said, “My managers brilliant, always willing to listen and take anything on board yes, you know you can ring up or call in with any issues and they’ll be sorted.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. All of the staff told us they felt valued, loved their jobs and would not hesitate to recommend Apollo Care Blackpool. One staff member discussed their personal situation and said how supportive and flexible the organisation had been around their hours.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate. For example, there were multiple audits and action plans in place which looked at all elements of service provision, identified further improvements and implemented these changes. This was discussed at team meetings and individually at staff supervisions.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement. For example, a stakeholder who works alongside Apollo said, “Apollo Care have always been an amazing agency to work with. They have always responded to care packages with realistic offers that they have always stuck to.”

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research. For example, there were exceptionally well thought out, creative ways people were offered activities and companionship. The provider had learned from past experiences how barriers in home care sometimes meant people felt alone and isolated. We were shown how people were invited to attend Spa days in the local office, engage in events, such as birthdays, and parties as well as being involved in social media campaigns across other Apollo Care branches. The provider told us they wanted to create a sense of community and experience for people, who otherwise would be isolated and alone in their own home. We saw from the feedback collected from people this had a huge impact on people’s emotional and mental well-being. The provider told us, “We want to be the best home care provider we can be, and this means thinking creatively and doing things others are not thinking of. We aim will always aim for outstanding care.” A stakeholder contacted us to say how ‘saddened’ they were Apollo Care Blackpool was not on their framework anymore. They said, “I can honestly say any feedback I have had regarding Apollo and the services they have provided have always been positive.” Another stakeholder said, “Apollo Care you are doing an excellent job”