Arun Lodge 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 our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 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 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.

A statement of purpose had been developed by the provider, which outlined the shared vision of care and support they provided. An open culture was present, and we observed the manager interacting with people in a familiar and compassionate manner that was reflected in the staff team’s interactions with people and each other, who described the culture of the team as friendly and positive. One staff member said, “It’s really good like a family here, there’s an open culture you can approach the manager with any concerns.” Another staff member said, “The culture is brilliant here it’s why I like working here.”

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.

Staff explained how they were supported by the manager and senior team members. One staff member said, “The seniors and manager listen support us and listen when we give them feedback about people’s support needs when they change and we have staff of the month to acknowledge our achievements.” Another staff member said when describing the leadership, “They're all really supportive including the owner.” The manager had an open-door policy with a visible presence around the home and was accessible to staff when they needed them.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

For example, staff meetings were regularly held in which members of the team could discuss aspects of their roles, make suggestions of how to improve practice and overcome challenges they faced. Staff also received supervisions providing another channel make their voices heard and formally documented. We observed staff speaking freely with the manager in a familiar manner. One staff member said, “The manager and owner always listen to new ideas or any concerns we have.” Another staff member said, “If I had any concerns, I would not hesitate to tell the manager.” A whistle blowing policy was in place and there was guidance for staff should they need raise a concern.

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.

The manager had recruited a diverse workforce made up of staff from different cultures and recognised the benefit this brought to the people they supported. Staff said they felt valued and appreciated in their roles. One staff member said, “We are a multi-cultural team, it’s like a little family here, the manager really encourages us to share our backgrounds and enrich the environment.” Another staff member said, “One of the best bits about working here is the management they look after you and the staff team are excellent we all work together.” There was a dedicated place for staff to take breaks onsite away from the direct care environment.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability but did not always have good governance. They did not always act on the best information about risk.

Whilst Incidents were being reported and investigated individually, the system lacked effective oversight and was not being used to its full potential. For example, we asked to see monthly incident reports for the whole home which could not be accessed at the time of our onsite assessment, this meant opportunities to learn lessons from and identify trends and patterns could be missed. the manager said they were still learning the system and would work with the provider of the system to improve their knowledge around its ability to run reports on incidents across the home. Systems were in place to audit various areas of the home including staff competencies, health and safety and people’s care documents. The manager felt supported by the provider and had regular opportunities to discuss challenges they faced and new ideas. The staff team was comprised of various roles including support workers and seniors, who knew their responsibilities and duties and worked together as a whole to provide people consistent care and support. Contingency plans were in place in the event of an emergency, such as a power cut with guidance for staff to follow.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

A collaborative partnership with the health professionals involved in people’s support had been developed which improved outcomes in their treatment. We contacted professionals to gain their feedback. One professional said, “The manager and senior care staff are engaging, approachable, and responsive, and they demonstrate a clear understanding of how and when to contact healthcare professionals or other community services for appropriate support.” Another professional said, “Staff are very knowledgeable about people’s needs, there is always staff around to ask when I need information or support and I never have any issues when I visit.” The manager was part of a community forum for providers in which they could learn from each other and share good practice.

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.

For example, following an external fire safety assessment the provider implemented recommended actions to increase the safety of the service. At the time of our assessment the manager was working on developing the care recording and delivery system used to provide staff with guidance in the form of care plans, risk assessments and record people’s daily care, by arranging further training from the system provider to better understand it’s functions and reach its full potential.