Our Governance Model
Built for Safety, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
We’ve designed UnityCare Leeds from the ground up to meet the highest standards of quality and compliance. From governance to audits, our systems give commissioners full confidence in the way we manage care, risk and accountability, aligning with CQC’s key lines of enquiry.
Built to Meet the Standards
We've designed UnityCare Leeds to meet the expectations of commissioners and CQC inspectors from day one. Our governance systems, audit cycles, and risk protocols are all structured around the Key Lines of Enquiry, ensuring the service is well-led, responsive, safe, effective, and caring. We use feedback and evidence to drive improvement.
Regulation-Ready From the Start
Our documentation, systems, and processes are mapped directly to CQC’s five key questions and relevant fundamental standards, reflecting continuous improvement.
Internal Quality Audits
We carry out regular audits covering care planning, medication, safeguarding, and documentation, led by our leadership team to ensure accountability and improvement, with findings shared with staff and stakeholders.
Clear Risk Protocols
Risk assessments are embedded across all plans, with incident tracking and escalation built into our internal governance cycle. Every team member is trained to identify and respond to risks promptly.
Transparent Record-Keeping
Our systems prioritise clear, up-to-date records across care delivery, medication, training, and communication, ready for inspection at any time, in line with our Duty of Candour.
Governance, Risk & Compliance
Strong governance underpins everything we do. Our systems ensure UnityCare Leeds is safe, well-led, and accountable, with policy, audit, and leadership processes designed to meet both CQC and commissioner standards. We strive to uphold the highest standards of ethics and responsiveness.
Leadership Oversight
Our Registered Manager and Nominated Individual provide clear leadership, maintain accountability, and oversee quality across all areas of the service, engaging staff in reviews and decision-making.
Policies & Procedures
We maintain up-to-date policies for safeguarding, data protection, complaints, whistleblowing, medication, and incident response, reviewed and updated regularly to ensure best practice.
Risk Management
We identify, monitor and escalate risks through regular audits, service reviews, and staff input, ensuring early intervention and continuous improvement, promoting independence, dignity, and quality of life.
Governance Meetings
Monthly governance reviews track outcomes, incidents, and staff feedback to maintain a strong grip on quality and compliance, ensuring active involvement in care planning.
Mental Capacity & Supported Decision-Making
We operate in full compliance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff are trained in supported decision-making and consent procedures. Where service users lack capacity, we follow best interest decision processes involving advocates, families, and professionals, ensuring every person maintains their autonomy and dignity.
Presumption of Capacity
We start by presuming every service user has capacity to make decisions about their care. We provide clear information in formats they can understand, and support them to make informed choices.
Supported Decision-Making
When someone needs support to make a decision, we use established protocols to help them weigh options, understand consequences, and express their wishes, ensuring their voice is central to decisions.
Best Interest Decisions
Where capacity is absent, we follow formal Best Interest Decision processes involving the individual, family, advocates, and relevant professionals. These are documented transparently and reviewed regularly.
Advocacy & Protection
We ensure service users have access to independent advocacy where needed, and maintain robust safeguarding protocols to protect people from abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
CQC Single Assessment Framework (SAF) Alignment
We align our service delivery, governance, and quality improvement with CQC's Single Assessment Framework, mapping our policies to the Quality Statements under each of the five key questions.
Safe: Protecting People From Harm
We maintain clear safeguarding policies, incident protocols, and risk management systems. Staff are trained in recognising and reporting abuse.
Effective: Delivering Positive Outcomes
Every care plan is evidence-based and outcome-focused. We measure impact through care reviews, surveys, and audits.
Caring: Showing Compassion & Respect
Our staff are recruited and trained to be kind, attentive, and culturally sensitive, respecting personal preferences, values, and identities.
Responsive: Adapting to Individual Needs
We listen to feedback and adjust care quickly when needs change, with flexible scheduling tailored to individual preferences.
Well-Led: Strong Leadership & Accountability
Our Registered Manager and leadership team provide clear direction, maintain accountability, and drive continuous improvement.
Incident Response & Feedback Loops
We believe that safe, responsive services are built on two-way communication. That's why we log, review, and escalate all incidents, not just to meet requirements, but to learn and improve. Our feedback systems ensure every concern, compliment, or complaint is acted on and fed into our quality cycle. We have a clear, accessible complaints procedure.
Clear Escalation Procedures
All incidents are logged, reviewed, and escalated in line with our policies, ensuring appropriate action, learning, and accountability. Our whistleblowing policy allows staff to report concerns safely.
Service User & Family Feedback
We encourage open dialogue and regularly collect feedback through reviews, surveys, and daily contact, so people feel heard and valued. This informs service improvements through our six-weekly feedback cycle and annual surveys.
Learning from Complaints
Every complaint is investigated and used as a learning tool, with service improvements tracked and recorded by leadership, in line with our Duty of Candour. Lessons are shared with staff to prevent future issues.
Training, Supervision & Workforce Capability
Our team is our greatest asset, and we invest in them accordingly. From safer recruitment and values-led onboarding to structured supervision and CPD, we ensure our staff are supported, skilled, and prepared to deliver high-quality care. Our staff receive training in cultural competency, inclusive communication, and unconscious bias.
Safer Recruitment
All staff are recruited in line with safer recruitment standards, including enhanced DBS checks, verified references, and values-based interviews to ensure alignment with our care ethos. New staff complete a thorough induction and the Care Certificate.
Mandatory Training
Team members complete core training in safeguarding, mental capacity, medication, infection control, and person-centred care before working with service users, with opportunities for further qualifications.
Ongoing CPD & Supervision
We provide regular supervision, reflective practice, and opportunities for ongoing learning to promote confidence, accountability, and professional growth. Performance is monitored through supervision, spot checks, and appraisals.
Competency & Spot Checks
Staff undergo periodic observations and checks to ensure safe practice, adherence to policy, and continuous development, and we monitor equality through audits and feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you registered with the CQC?
UnityCare Leeds is a professional and compassionate domiciliary care provider based in Leeds, regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the Health and Social Care Act.
What training do your staff receive?
All staff complete mandatory training in safeguarding, mental capacity, infection control, medication, and person-centred care, followed by ongoing CPD and regular supervision. Our staff also receive training in cultural competency, inclusive communication, and unconscious bias.
How do you handle complaints and incidents?
We recognise that concerns may arise and have a clear, accessible complaints procedure. All complaints are handled professionally and in line with our Duty of Candour. Our whistleblowing policy allows staff to report concerns safely. Lessons learned are fed into our governance cycle to improve future care.
Do you work with local commissioners?
Yes, we work with Leeds City Council to deliver regulated home care that meets local needs and aligns with their strategies for inclusive care.
Can I request copies of your policies?
Absolutely. We’re happy to share relevant policy documents and quality assurance information with professionals or commissioning bodies on request.
What areas do you cover?
We provide domiciliary care in Leeds.