The Paddocks

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• 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

We assessed seven quality statements relating to this key question, these were in relation to; shared direction and culture, capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders, freedom to speak up, workforce equality, diversity and inclusion, governance management partnerships and communities and learning improvement and innovation. Systems were now in place to ensure good governance in the service. The registered manager and leadership team had good oversight of the service. The leadership team supported the registered manager to ensure the service was managed in line with best practice and current legislation. Leaders ensured audits and feedback from people and staff were completed, evaluated and actions were taken to make improvements. Care and support plan information was clearly documented and reviewed regularly.

The registered manager cultivated a positive team culture to ensure care was person-centred and in line with right support, right care, right culture guidance.

Relatives, partners and staff spoke positively about the leadership team.

This service scored 79 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The registered manager said newly employed staff were made aware of the service’s philosophy at the start of their employment. They said they ensured staff were aware of the service goals through discussions in team meetings and supervisions. The registered manager was aware of the risks around ‘closed cultures’ and worked alongside staff to monitor practice. Staff spoke positively about the team culture. One staff member said, ‘We are all friendly, we get on well, but we would challenge each other if we had concerns about practice, it is not about us, it is about the resident we are here to support.”

There were processes to ensure a shared direction and culture. For example, the service’s objectives, aims and values were explained during staff induction and supervisions and staff meetings were held regularly to share information and seek feedback from staff.

Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the registered manager and leadership team. Staff said the registered manager led by example and helped them out when needed. Staff felt the leadership team were approachable and there was an open-door policy in the service. One staff member said, “the door is always open, I can go straight to [manager’s name] with a sensitive issue.”

The registered manager was undertaking a qualification to support them in their role and received regular support from the leadership team to ensure operational risks and team culture were managed well. Leaders were knowledgeable about where to access support to develop themselves and staff. For example, leaders said they now ensure training was accredited and encouraged staff to undertake a National Vocational Qualification in care.

Staff confirmed the leadership team provided them with opportunities to speak up if they had any concerns. Staff said the office door was always open and felt the registered manager and leadership team were approachable and would address their concerns.

There were processes to support staff to speak up, including a Whistleblowing policy. Staff had opportunities to feedback to the service through anonymous staff surveys, team meetings and supervisions.

The registered manager said they completed risk assessments to support reasonable adjustments around staff health. The registered manager said they ensure all staff voices were heard, for example, “Staff are given opportunities in meetings to speak up, I would have a private conversation with the staff member, do it in a way that is appropriate for that staff member.”

One staff member said, “working here is really different because I get enough time to develop myself as a support worker due to the support they give and I get time to manage my life as well, work life balance is good.”

There were policies to promote workplace equality and inclusion and supported staff to feel safe in the workplace and have equal opportunities.

Staff confirmed their understanding of their delegated responsibilities in the service.

Staff said they had received training to help them undertake their responsibilities. For example, one staff said they had completed additional training around infection control because they were the service infection control champion.

Processes were now in place and embedded to check the safety and quality of the service. Improvement action plans were created in response to feedback from people, relatives, and staff.

Emergency response planning information was in place considering the action to take in the event of an unplanned event.

One relative said they go out regularly with their relative and staff to a local pub where their relation is well known, and the staff made sure a table is reserved for them. Relatives said the service had a good relationship with health professionals and information was communicated to relatives following appointments.

Staff said people were offered opportunities to do activities in the wider community. They told us one person goes to bingo every week and had made new friendships there. The registered manager said they had a good relationship with local health care professionals and had recently had positive feedback from a health professional about how well the service supported people’s health appointments.

One partner spoke positively about how the service engages and works alongside them to ensure good outcomes for people.

There were processes to ensure effective partnership working. For example, making referrals to health professionals and regularly seeking feedback from people, relatives, and professionals.

The registered manager said the team had demonstrated innovation for times when the service did not have enough drivers to take a person out, who likes to go for a drive, by purchasing a static car based in the garden for the person to spend time in. The registered manager said the person loved sitting in their car and this helped reduce the risk of incidents of distress for the person.

Staff said leaders encouraged them to make suggestions for improvement. One staff member said they suggested a different routine for a person and the person is much happier with this new routine. Another staff member said, “I feel comfortable in speaking with the manger about anything which may help, she always takes time to listen.”

Leaders said they had reflected on previous practice and introduced new initiatives to make the service more effective, for example they had changed their audits to suit the service delivery and changed their electronic reporting system.

The Nominated Individual said they completed additional training to increase their understanding of health and social care.

There were processes to ensure learning from incidents and staff were encouraged to speak up with ideas for improvement. For example, staff were encouraged to offer suggestions to improve processes around medication storage.

Processes were in place for the service to learn from incidents which have happened in other services to raise awareness in the staff team and reduce the risk of a similar incident in the service.