Lowdell Close

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 newly registered 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.

There was a positive and inclusive culture. Staff felt well supported and people’s needs were central to the values and visions of the organisation.

The service was appropriately managed. The registered manager had worked in different roles at the service and within other care settings. They knew people well and had helped develop and improve the culture at the service by enabling people to have more choice and more active lives.

The staff were able to speak up if something was wrong and felt they would be listened to.

There were effective systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service and monitoring risk.

Records were appropriately maintained, clear and up to date.

There were systems for the staff to learn and improve the service, including working in partnership with others to develop skills and knowledge around best practice for caring for a person with a learning disability.

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.

There was a positive and person-centre culture at the service. Staff and people’s relatives spoke positively about their experiences with the service. Staff felt happy and well supported, and relatives expressed how the service felt like a family with people and many staff having been there for years. One relative commented, “The best thing about Lowdell Close is that it is just a family home, warm and secure. They have a nice garden which they use when they have the animals visiting.’’ Another relative told us, “The manager is excellent. The staff are happy in their work. It works well. The best thing is that they look after [person] who is happy and safe, and they treat [them] with respect.”

The service was well managed. The registered manager had worked there for several years in different roles. They had a very good knowledge of people’s needs. They had undertaken relevant management qualifications and training. They worked alongside staff to support people. The registered manager told us they had supportive senior leaders who were available when they needed them. Staff spoke positively about the registered manager, explaining they gave helpful guidance. Relatives also provided good feedback about the registered manager. One relative told us, “The manager is very good. [They are] empathetic. [They] understand the problems. [They are] easy to get hold of.’’ Another relative commented, “It is remarkable how much the service has changed because [registered manager] is a real gem.’’

There were processes to enable staff to speak up and raise any concerns with managers and external organisations. Staff told us they felt confident doing this.

The provider supported staff with their individual needs. They provided time off or support when staff needed this. The staff celebrated their different cultures and backgrounds and shared information about these with each other and the people living at the service. The provider made sure staff were supported through transitions when the registered provider changed. They were also helping staff plan for the future and their roles within the organisation.

There were effective systems and processes for monitoring and improving quality. The provider carried out a range of audits and checks. When problems were identified, action had been taken to make improvements. Staff and people’s relatives felt the service was well managed and there was good oversight. Records were clear, up to date and accessible for staff.

The service worked in partnership with others within the community. There were strong links with healthcare and social care professionals. External professionals confirmed there was good information sharing and team work to support people to have a better quality of life. The provider sourced a range of activity specialists to visit the service and provide bespoke activities which reflected people’s interest and needs. The registered manager was part of local networks for care providers, sharing information about best practice and learning from each other’s experiences.

There were systems to help ensure learning and improvements at the service. Staff undertook regular training and had information about best practice when caring for people with a learning disability. The registered manager held meetings for staff to discuss the service, learn from each other and develop the way they worked.