The Pines

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 changed to outstanding. This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the service 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. 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.

People were encouraged and supported to make meaningful choices and maintain their independence. There was a strong, shared culture throughout the service, with staff consistently speaking about the service’s principles with confidence and pride. Staff described how these values were not simply aspirational but were embedded in everyday practice, shaping decisions at every level of the service. They told us the vision in the service helped them remain focused on people's rights, aspirations and wellbeing, creating a culture where delivering meaningful outcomes for people was the shared priority.

The provider spoke of the service’s unwavering commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, “As a provider we are actively leading and contributing to ethical research, using new systems and tools with the measure of success being people can access our services in a way that is meaningful to them.”

The registered manager understood and responded to people’s cultural, religious and communication needs, and implemented inclusive initiatives which promoted meaningful relationships, mutual respect to create a strong sense of community.
Staff consistently demonstrated the core values of honesty, respect, compassion and kindness. We observed warm, natural interactions that reflected genuine, caring relationships and a strong understanding of people's individual needs and preferences. Staff told us they were valued and supported in their roles. Comments included, “I am proud to work at The Pines because I have the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Supporting them to live fulfilling, meaningful lives and promoting their independence and wellbeing is very rewarding”, and “I feel confident now, and I know how to give safe, kind, and proper care to everyone we support. Whenever there is something new to learn, I am always happy to take part so I can keep improving.”

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.

Without exception, people, staff and relatives told us leaders were visible, approachable and supportive, and lived the values of empowerment, individuality and respect in everything they did and how they led the service. Staff told us the registered manager worked alongside them, making them feel valued, listened to and involved in decision making. One staff member stated, “The registered manager encourages staff to provide high-quality, person-centred care and is always willing to listen to concerns or suggestions. They promote teamwork and support us to achieve positive outcomes for the people we support.” Another staff member said, “The registered manager communicates clearly, listens to staff concerns, and encourages open and honest discussions. Such a wonderful person to work with.”

The provider was very proactive in supporting staff wellbeing, development and progression, which had created a highly skilled, motivated and stable workforce and promoted a high continuity of care. The nominated individual told us of the commitment for a “Fully qualified workforce to enable staff to develop into the role above and promote robust succession planning.” They explained the benefits of this, “Our investment in workforce development promotes consistency, safety, quality and person-centred support, while enabling staff to feel valued, supported and confident in their roles.”

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

People and their relatives told us they were confident any issues would be responded to. Staff knew how to raise concerns and access support. There were clear procedures for regular team meetings. Staff consistently told us they felt able to discuss their concerns, views and ideas with the registered manager.

The Pines had policies and procedures in place to support staff to speaking up and raise concerns. This included up to date policies in relation to safeguarding and whistleblowing.

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

People and their relatives told us they were confident any issues would be responded to. Staff knew how to raise concerns and access support. There were clear procedures for regular team meetings. Staff consistently told us they felt able to discuss their concerns, views and ideas with the registered manager.

The Pines had policies and procedures in place to support staff to speaking up and raise concerns. This included up to date policies in relation to safeguarding and whistleblowing.

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.

Policies and procedures incorporated all aspects of equality, diversity, fairness and protected characteristics. Staff had regular team meetings to support inclusion and told us ways in which they sought support from colleagues to improve their resilience and develop their own skills.

Other resources were available to assist staff with their physical and mental health. This included an employee assistance programme, so that staff had the necessary access to services to thrive in their roles.

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. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate.

There were a range of audits, analysis and checks within the service, which supported safety and quality. Risks to people's safety were well managed and monitored. Audits of people’s health showed that follow-up actions were taken to support their wellbeing, including referrals to relevant health and social care professionals who provided specialist support.
A staff member explained to us how the system worked to ensure all levels of leaders reviewed records created in the electronic care planning app, “I know I have taken all action because it is signed off by the registered manager above me, and I know the managers above them, at head office, do the same. This happens every single time so we always know where we can improve.”

Legal and regulatory requirements were met in relation to statutory notifications, which is information providers must share with the CQC about events which occur in the service.

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

The service fostered a highly effective, collaborative approach with external health and social care professionals and had beneficial working relationships. People were always at the core of the service, with a focus on the staff team and wider network providing a consistent and effective approach. Regular multi-disciplinary meetings were held to ensure the holistic approach was shared and communicated. This enabled prompt and flexible changes in people’s care to occur when needed and people’s experiences were shared as learning to help promote best practice. A health and social care professional told us, “Leaders show a commitment to co-production, innovation and compassionate, effective leadership with a deep understanding of issues, challenges and priorities in the service, and beyond.”

Staff spoke passionately about establishing links between the service, the community and the providers other locations. For example, they worked with the local church to hold coffee mornings, giving people a chance to socialise and be seen in their local community. The registered manager and staff created countless opportunities for people to build vital links with each other and the community. Staff had empowered and supported people to create a useful guide for use by all other people and their families of local services, clubs, and organisations. This included health services, transport links, and advice services. The registered manager told us, “A person with a particular passion for transport will regularly present any updates in the residents meeting of any disrupted services or planned route changes.” This meant people and staff supporting them received information relevant to daily activities they had planned, and enabled people to be empowered by shared knowledge.

This was echoed by health and social care professionals who told us, “The provider actively encourages the people they support to get involved in the organisation. I have witnessed this through their ‘champion’ approach where individuals with particular skills or interests are supported to lead in certain area.”

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

People living at The Pines were supported by staff who continually strived to make their lives better, to achieve endless possibilities. The nominated individual was committed to this by being actively involved in a number of sector networks, national initiatives and research projects. Feedback about their involvement included, “They have been key is identifying issues around safeguarding, systems and the importance of an open culture and a proactive approach to anticipating and managing risks to people who use services”, and “I have observed the provider’s working style to be highly collaborative, pro-active and focused on improving the quality and sustainability of care and people’s experiences.”

Staff told us the ethos of the service was collective problem-solving to improve outcomes for people and enable them to live their best lives. Comments included, “We can always learn, we can always improve. If something goes wrong, I have a duty of candour to follow. (The duty of candour in care is a legal and professional requirement for health and social care providers to be open, honest, and transparent with people or their families when something goes wrong that causes or has the potential to cause harm)”, and “I know someone is always checking, reviewing what has happened so we can learn and make improvements. I feel safe and supported in my role because I have the support of the registered manager, and I know they feel safe because they have support above them… I use this safety net to help shape and encourage new staff so they learn to offer this kindness too.”

People and their relatives were overwhelmingly positive in their feedback about the service and would continue to recommend the service. Comments included, “I will fight to keep my relative at the Pines, it is their home”, “The staff team have overcome challenges and do their very best for people who live here, I have seen their confidence grow”, and “The registered manager leads by example, with a clear system in place and I have every confidence in them.”