Dovecote Residential 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 service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. At the last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 service 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. Since the last inspection the provider and management team had reviewed all aspects of the service and identified where changes could be made to support staff deliver person-centred care. Staff described how the management team had helped them reflect on their practice and take action to make positive changes. The provider had also set up diversity and inclusion networks staff could join if they wanted. We observed staff consistently worked in a positive manner with individuals, used least restrictive practice and actively promoted people’s well-being.. A relative said, “Their rating doesn’t reflect the true, genuine care they provide. [The last manager] pulled that place into shape and saw quickly what needed to be done. The new manager has continued this. I see them all on the same page now and communication has improved no end.”

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. Overall, people, staff and external professionals were very positive about how the registered manager and management team ensured people experienced the best outcomes and maintained a good quality of life. Staff consistently reported the manager was approachable and really encouraged them to go the extra mile. A relative said, “Everyone at the home have been absolutely amazing. I can’t praise them enough. The manager and deputy have got me through a terrible time and helped me to sort the lasting power of attorney and the DoLS order, which was very complex as well as the Section 21A challenge. Their emotional support, care and attention to detail were second to none.”

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. People, relatives and staff told us they felt confident to raise concerns with the management team and these would be listened to and acted upon. Staff felt their views and suggestions were actively taken on board. A staff member said, “Since the changes of managers we have found our views are sought and taken note of them. It is such a better place to work in now.”

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. The provider and management team valued diversity and ensured they followed best practices guidance. A staff member told us about their positive experience of moving to the service from oversee and how welcoming the management team and staff had been when they arrived and since then.

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. Internal governance procedures were in place with a range of quality monitoring systems and audits. These had helped identify where actions were required and areas for improvement. The registered manager was supported in their governance procedures by an area manager and oversight from the provider.

The service clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement. People reported they found the staff closely tailored the work to individual’s needs and had supported them experience positive outcomes. The staff had formed a good working relationship with the local GP who promoted the activities such as ‘sing for the brain’ with their patients. We met a person who, prior to moving to the home, had come to these sessions. The registered manager was now looking to take some of the activities to the local community centre so residents could readily meet more people. A professional said, “The team are approachable and responsive and always let me know if there have been any changes. They are flexible in their approach and will adapt when needed to maintain people’s quality of life.”

The service 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. There was a process in place for staff to ensure continuous improvement through innovation and learning was achieved. Staff were actively encouraged to work with people in ways which aimed to improve outcomes for them and allow each individual to experience a good quality of life. The registered manager ensured staff were supported to keep up to date with developments in best practice. A staff member said, “The managers are committed to making sure the home provides a high standard of care and have made sure we can do this. They have showed us a lot of things to help improve how we work with people as well as provided a wide range of training.”