Albany House - Doncaster

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 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 75 (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. There was a clear set of values for the care home where people received good quality care personalised to their needs. The registered manager demonstrated values of kindness, understanding and empathy.

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. We saw capable leaders at all levels throughout the care home. The registered manager knew their staff team, the care home and the people and their needs. One person told us, “I think [the care home] is well led. It is professional and efficient. There is not really anything which could be better.” A relative said, “[The registered manager] is lovely. I have been able to speak to them ‘out of hours’ at the weekend. They are very good.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Members of staff had access to all the provider’s policies and procedures. A copy of the whistle-blowing policy was available online and a printed copy was displayed.

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. There was an inclusive and supportive culture in the care home. No issues or concerns were raised about diversity or inclusion in the workplace.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate. There was a good system of governance in the care home. There were regular audits and reviews of care plans, medicines management, the care environment and infection prevention and control. There were regular meetings between the registered manager and the provider where reports, updates and performance were discussed, reviewed and approved. Following feedback on the day of inspection, the registered manager made changes to daily walkaround checks to ensure all aspects of the care environment were checked and monitored at the beginning and throughout each shift.

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. There were good links with the local community and people visited the local shops and amenities. The management team had good relationships with local health and care professionals and worked closely with them to improve outcomes for people.

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. The registered manager and provider listened and responded positively to feedback following the site visit. They took immediate action to improve areas which had been brought to their attention. There were opportunities for member of staff to develop and progress within the home. We saw examples where people had developed into management and leadership roles and taken on additional responsibilities including updating care plans and providing supervision sessions for members of staff.