Stonebridge Nursing 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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding.

This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 89 (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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. Stonebridge had an open culture, which embraced diversity and was inclusive for all. The management team led by example, and staff understood the importance of upholding the values of the organisation. People’s human rights were fully embraced and supported. Staff told us the provider encouraged them to select their own shifts to fit in with their out of work commitments, and this had ended the need for agency staff. The provider’s renumeration package for their staff was higher than the national average and this alongside the support the provider offered to staff had helped with staff retention, which in turn benefitted people using the service due to continuity of the staff team.

The service had a strong focus on how they could enable people to be fully involved in life as part of their home. The organisational culture was one offering quality person-centred services so that people could have a life well lived, and be closely connected to their families, friends and community. They achieved positive outcomes for people by staff understanding the philosophy by which people were supported; a philosophy of no judgment, support, kindness, personhood, equality and love. One staff member told us, “Our approach is not clinical, it’s personal, it’s about building trust with people and helping them feel valued and part of the home” and we observed this being put into practice throughout our visits to the service.

Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, and helped staff develop in their roles. The values of empowerment, individuality, respect, inclusiveness, and authenticity were embedded into everyday practices at the service. The provider’s policies and procedures promoted and upheld human rights.

People felt valued and respected, which led to improved self-esteem and promoted a person-centred approach where people’s views were respected.

The provider had exceptionally 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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

The management and staff team all showed confidence in their practice, and an openness when engaging in discussions.

All managers and staff we spoke with displayed a passion for the home and for what they were aspiring to achieve – good quality care with positive outcomes for people who lived there.

Leaders understood the requirement of duty of candour. This is their duty to be honest and open about any accident or incident that had caused or placed a person at risk of harm. The service notified the relevant authorities, including local authorities and CQC where required.

The management team were extremely motivated and enthusiastic and were constantly looking for areas they could improve and develop. People and relatives had confidence in the whole staff team.

The provider was good at fostering a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Leaders told us they had an open-door policy, and this was demonstrated throughout the assessment.

Staff were readily able to approach any manager or leader as they were highly visible in the service and did so at regular intervals. Staff we spoke with said they had ample opportunities to speak up if they had any concerns. Staff were very comfortable in speaking with leaders and told us leaders had listened to their concerns and had made changes when required. One visiting health professional said, “Staff advocate appropriately for people and always strive to adapt their communication skills to suit each person”.

Policies and processes were in place to give staff the freedom to speak up; including regular staff supervisions and meetings. Staff were made aware of the whistle-blowing policy during their induction.

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 provider had an equal opportunities policy not to discriminate against its employees. The principle of non-discrimination and equal opportunities applied equally to the treatment of visitors, people, customers and staff. Arrangements were in place for staff which facilitated flexible working and time off to attend appointments and special occasions.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The provider had a robust governance framework to ensure the service operated within the standard expected from the provider. Audits were extremely detailed and focused on improving standards and outcomes for people. Action plans were used appropriately to address any concerns and to identify even better ways to deliver the service.

The registered manager completed daily walk arounds to ensure people were supported appropriately, staff were carrying out their roles as expected, and the building was safe and maintained. Any issues were addressed immediately.

Staff were clear about their roles and told us they had had regular supervision and opportunities to discuss any concerns with management. The manager demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities and were fully familiar in how to comply with legal regulations. Leaders were exceptionally open and honest with people living in the service and their relatives when things went wrong with their care and provided them with an apology. Any complaints were seen as a learning opportunity to improve the service.

We were assured people received their care from a service that continually monitored and exceeded standards and constantly looked at how improvements could be made. The governance and improvement agenda were firmly embedded into all areas to improve service provision.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. One visiting professional told us, “Stonebridge have been working closely with our consultant Psychiatrist in developing a potential regular teams meeting/in house clinic with some other homes in the Redditch area, in which to discuss any concerns or seek advice from our consultant psychiatrist. This also ensures continuity in care”. Another health professional said, “[Registered manager and staff] have excellent communication between the various professional teams and will always make timely referrals”.

Staff and leaders worked exceptionally well with local groups to ensure people using the service were part of their community. To enhance the quality and experience people received, leaders promoted collaborative ways of working with specialist services such as the district nursing team, care home team, occupational therapies, and other external professionals, by making referrals in order to support people’s needs. One visiting health professional told us, “The management team to my knowledge are very proactive and innovative in making improvements for both the safety and pleasure of the people who are, and seem to be, the centre of decision making”.

The management team worked effectively with people, their representatives and staff to build a culture that focused on enabling people to be the best they could be; staff supported and encouraged people to achieve. One visiting health professional told us, “I have found that Stonebridge have always been open to investigate any concerns when raised and strive to improve where they can for the good of the people in their care and their staff”.

Relatives we talked to spoke very positively about their partnership with the service. We heard examples from relatives how the service worked in partnership with them to ensure people’s needs were safely met in the service. People and their relatives told us they would recommend the service to others.

The provider had a strong focus 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 culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas. The registered manager showed they analysed events and supported the team to look at what went wrong, what could be prevented and what needed to change in the future. This was done in a nurturing and positive way where the whole team learnt and were part of improving the service. Any concerns identified were used as an opportunity to develop and learn, with the constant desire to ensure people received optimum care and support. A visiting GP said, “Staff actively try to learn and improve how they communicate effectively with our team and other teams involved in people’s care to get the best outcomes for that person”.

The provider had a robust governance system which demonstrated effective and clear oversight, by adopting an analytical and quality focused approach. All events affecting the service and updates to people’s health and safety, were analysed to support performance improvement across all areas. This created a pathway for the home to develop and adopt a continuous learning approach and drive quality for people, including early identification of change to allow for quick responses, reducing risk and improving wellbeing.

Staff and leaders listened, acted and involved people in all aspects of the day-to-day operations within the home. Staff and leaders encouraged feedback from people and other stakeholders and used this information to adapt and change the service to accurately meet peoples’ individual preferences and characteristics. Staff and leaders used learning opportunities to reflect on their practice.