Cliff Court Care Home

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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment, the rating has remained good. Some improvements were needed in relation to aspects of record keeping. However, the leaders and the culture they created supported the delivery of high-quality care.

This service scored 71 (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 and staff had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. There was a positive culture at the home. This positive culture related to people, relatives, the provider and whole staff team. All staff were committed to developing the home for people, to improve their quality of life and their outcomes. Staff worked together with people and their relatives to ensure the improvements being planned reflected the wishes and needs of people.

The provider 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. There was a clear management structure and people, relatives and staff were aware of this. The provider, who was also the registered manager was supporting the deputy manager to take on additional roles to assist her with the day to day running on the home. They were assisted by senior care staff who had received additional training to support the provider and deputy manager. Before staff took on additional roles unsupervised the provider ensured they had the knowledge, skills, competence and confidence to do so. We saw the provider was supporting staff to develop and this included identifying areas where staff had the skills but lacked confidence. They then worked with the staff member to develop their confidence. Staff told us there was always someone they could talk to. One staff member said, “I will speak to the senior or to [deputy] but I can also speak to [provider] whenever I want to.” Relatives told us the same. One relative said, “I can always talk with [provider] even if she is not at the home when I visit, she will always come in or speak on the phone.” The provider was committed to improving and developing the service for the benefit of people and staff.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff understood the whistle-blowing policy and told us how they would report any concerns related to the management team. They also told us how they would raise concerns outside the organisation if they were concerned appropriate action was not being taken. Staff told us they could always contact and speak with the provider even when she was not at work. Staff told us they were confident any issues raised would be addressed.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them. There were policies and procedures to support staff and to ensure they were happy at work. Staff meetings took place where staff were able to discuss any issues, feel involved and listened to. Staff told us they were all part of a good team that involved and supported each other.

Improvements were needed to aspects of governance to ensure people’s records fully reflected the support they needed and received. The provider and staff knew people really well, they understood their care and support needs. Staff were able to tell us about the support people needed and received each day. They understood the importance of good consistent care and support. The care we observed in communal areas reflected what staff told us. However, people’s care plans did not always include the detailed information that staff spoke to us about. Daily records did not include all the information about the support people had received. This had been identified and the provider was working with the local authority Market Support Team to improve and develop records about people’s care. It had also been identified that decision specific mental capacity assessments had not been developed. This is an area that needs to continue to be developed and improved and improvements made need to be fully embedded into everyday practice. During and following the inspection the provider shared with us mental capacity assessments and care plans that had recently been developed to demonstrate the work that was ongoing.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership with others, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. The provider and staff team had developed positive working relationships with services who supported people living at the home. For example, the GP and district nursing teams. Staff told us how they would contact relevant external professionals to help them meet people’s needs. Feedback from external professionals was positive about working relationships.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research. Staff received regular training and updates. The provider had identified further areas where training was required and was in the process of ensuring staff received this. The provider was working with the local authority Market Support Team to make improvements to the service provided. The provider shared this information with the staff team to ensure they were aware of what was required of them, for example, in relation to record keeping. Following any concerns, complaints or safeguarding’s raised the provider would share (as far as able) details with the staff. This included where any areas for improvement had been identified and actions being taken to address these. Areas of good practice were also shared with the team for encouragement.