Flora Innes House

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 lastinspectionthis key question was rated Requires Improvement.At thisassessmentthe rating has changed to Outstanding.

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 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 service demonstrated a clear and exceptionally well-established shared vision, firmly rooted in deeply embedded person-centred values such as honesty, involvement, compassion, dignity, independence, respect, equality, and safety. These values were not only clearly defined but were consistently understood, embraced, and demonstrated by the entire staff team. Staff confidently reflected a culture where person-centred care was fully embedded as standard.
Managers fostered and sustained an outstanding culture characterised by openness, positivity, and accountability. They were highly visible and approachable, consistently modelling the service’s values in their daily interactions with people, families, and staff. Their leadership provided a strong and consistent example, ensuring expectations remained clear and fully aligned with the service’s overarching vision.
Practice was supported by robust and reflective oversight, including regular observations, supervision, and ongoing dialogue that promoted continuous learning and development. This approach ensured the culture remained cohesive, values-driven, and resilient. Staff described feeling empowered and well supported, highlighting a strong sense of teamwork and shared commitment to achieving the best outcomes for the people they supported. One staff member described a, “Home from home place to work due to the positive culture.”
The manager told us, “The culture is also something to be proud of. I have a team that share the same ethos, that share the same determination for good outcomes and have created an amazing home for the people they support.”
Families also described the environment as welcoming and respectful.
This shared sense of purpose created a highly consistent and positive culture, where people felt safe, valued, and exceptionally well supported, and where staff worked collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes.
 

Managers demonstrated exceptional capability, compassion and inclusivity, creating a deeply positive culture in which both people and staff felt consistently valued, respected and supported. One staff member told us, “I love working here, I get so much enjoyment out of working with the residents and I also really enjoy being part of a team that has mutual respect and understanding”. This reflects the strong, trusting relationships managers had built. They showed an expert understanding of the needs of people with a learning disability and promoted a service that was unfailingly caring, respectful and person centred.
Managers were highly visible, approachable and actively engaged in day-to-day practice. Staff told us they felt completely comfortable raising concerns, sharing ideas and offering suggestions for improvement, and that managers genuinely listened. Team meeting minutes showed managers encouraged open, reflective discussion, ensuring staff felt empowered to contribute to service development. One staff member said, “I couldn’t ask for better management here.”
Managers demonstrated a strong understanding of CQC requirements and best practice guidance. Records showed they remained consistently up to date with relevant changes and communicated these promptly and clearly to the team, supporting a culture of continual learning.
Managers ensured staff had access to high quality training, resources and professional support, enabling them to deliver safe, effective and personalised care. They responded swiftly and proactively when issues were identified, demonstrating accountability and a commitment to improvement. Managers also championed equality, diversity and inclusion across the service, ensuring people’s rights were upheld and all staff were treated fairly. Staff told us that managers had made amendments to training specifically to support their learning needs, and they listened and understood when one person was having difficulties with health issues.
The compassionate, values driven managers helped create a highly stable, motivated and confident workforce. Staff shared a strong understanding of the service’s values and worked collaboratively to achieve outstanding outcomes for the people they supported. There wasn’t a high turnover of staff or reliance on agency staff evidencing that staff felt valued. All staff were included and encouraged to progress with formal health and social care qualifications.
 

Staff felt confident in raising concerns and understood their responsibility to speak up if they observed poor practice or had concerns about people’s safety.
An open and transparent culture was actively promoted, where staff were encouraged to share concerns without fear of blame. Whistleblowing and Freedom to Speak Up policies and procedures were in place, and staff demonstrated a clear understanding of how to access these, including who to contact for external advice. One staff member told us, “I know I am protected by the whistleblowing policy and the importance of doing it.”
During discussions, staff said they felt listened to and were confident that concerns would be taken seriously and acted upon promptly. There was a clear commitment to learning from issues raised, with feedback used to drive improvements in the quality of care provided. This supportive and responsive approach fostered an environment where staff felt safe to speak up, helping to ensure people received consistent, safe, and high-quality care
 

Staff told us they were consistently treated with fairness, respect, and value by the service. They described a workplace where they felt able to be themselves, with individuality and diversity fully accepted and embraced. Comprehensive training in equality, diversity, and human rights provided staff with a strong understanding of their responsibilities and supported highly inclusive, person-centred practice.
A strong and proactive commitment was evident in maintaining a positive, respectful, and empowering working environment. Staff said they felt genuinely listened to, supported, and encouraged to share their views, describing a culture where everyone’s contributions were recognised and appreciated. One staff member told us, “We have equal training opportunities, and equal opportunity for overtime and holidays.”
This inclusive approach fostered a cohesive team that worked collaboratively and consistently delivered care of an exceptional standard which in turn impacted on the high-quality care and support people received.
 

The service had effective governance and management arrangements that supported the delivery of safe and consistent care.
The model of care reflected current best practice and was aligned with CQC’s ‘Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture’ guidance, promoting independence, choice, and person-centred support.
There was a clear understanding of regulatory responsibilities, including the timely and accurate submission of statutory notifications, with records confirming these were completed in line with requirements.
Quality audits, reviews, and monitoring systems were used effectively to identify areas for improvement, and actions were consistently followed through. Business continuity plans were also in place to ensure people continued to receive safe care in the event of emergencies, such as staffing shortages, environmental issues, or unexpected disruptions.
A culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement was evident, supporting the delivery of a stable and sustainable service that could reliably meet people’s needs.
 

The service worked effectively with local partners and community organisations to meet people’s needs and promote positive outcomes. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the range of partners and stakeholders available, including learning disability teams, GPs, community nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and social workers. Records showed that staff knew how to access this support appropriately when required, ensuring people received timely specialist input.
There was a clear commitment to strong partnership working, with positive relationships established with external professionals. One relative told us, “My (person) is safe and I know they contact other people when they need to.” We also saw evidence of engagement with the wider community through fundraising and volunteering activities
 

The service demonstrated a positive commitment to learning, improvement, and innovation. A clear service improvement plan was in place, based on outcomes, actions, and identified areas for development.
Robust quality assurance systems were evident, including regular audits, reviews, and checks that supported the identification of areas where improvements were needed.
Policies and procedures had been reviewed and strengthened in response to learning from incidents, as well as feedback from families and staff.
Managers explained they worked collaboratively with others across the service to drive improvements and embed ongoing learning. They described feeling well supported through management meetings, input from the nominated individual, visits from the Chief Operating Officer, and financial guidance from the finance manager.
Staff said they felt encouraged to share ideas and that suggestions for improvement were listened to and acted upon. This strong focus on learning and continuous improvement supported the service to evolve and respond effectively to the needs of the people it supports.