The Emmie Dixon 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 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.
The provider communicated openly and honestly with people, their families and professionals involved in their care. The provider had a clear set of values that promoted a culture of honesty, safety, kindness and compassion.The registered manager monitored how well staff put the values into practice, through regular observations, supervision sessions and annual appraisals. The provider maintained an action plan to support continuous improvement, including improving the home environment, supporting staff development through training and qualifications, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
 

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.
The provider had a clear management structure, with defined roles and responsibilities. Staff knew who to contact for support and consistently described the registered manager as approachable, compassionate and available when needed. The board of directors were actively involved in quality assurance audits, providing oversight and helping to ensure the service continued to meet expected standards. Staff received regular support and guidance from the registered manger through supervision and appraisal meetings.
 

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
People and staff had regular opportunities to share their views and influence the service through meetings, annual staff surveys and the provider's complaints process. Staff told us they felt able to raise concerns and suggestions during team meetings and were confident their views would be listened to and acted upon. Complaints were reviewed and audited to identify learning and drive improvements. Staff had access to the provider’s whistleblowing policy, which encouraged them to speak up about concerns or poor practice. Staff told us they felt comfortable raising concerns and would speak up if they needed to.
 

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 registered manager promoted equality of opportunity by ensuring all staff had access to training, development and qualification opportunities. Staff told us the registered manager arranged team meetings at times that accommodated different roles and shift patterns, helping to ensure all staff could take part and share their views. Staff told us the registered manager was responsive to individual circumstances, including approving emergency leave when needed and supporting flexible working arrangements.

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.
Effective governance arrangements were in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and support the smooth running of the home. The registered manager used monitoring and audits of medicines, records and care plans to oversee significant events, identify trends and drive improvement. Senior leaders and directors maintained oversight through regular visits, engagement with people and staff, and quality assurance audits. Systems were in place to manage complaints, concerns and compliments effectively. Learning from feedback was shared across the organisation and used to inform service development and improvement.
 

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.
The provider demonstrated effective partnership working and community engagement. They worked closely with external professionals, including the learning disability community health team, to support people’s health and wellbeing. The provider had recently worked with the fire service to help ensure the home remained safe and compliant with current regulations.
People were supported to take an active role in their local community and access places and activities they enjoyed. Information was shared promptly and appropriately with relevant professionals to ensure people received the care and support they needed. One professional told us, “The service demonstrates strengths in working with external professionals and seeking appropriate input when required.”
 

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 provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of care were Regular audits, quality assurance checks and reviews of incidents and errors helped identify areas for improvement supported continuous learning and improvement. The registered manager told us they were well supported by an active and engaged board of directors, who provided oversight of the service, and helped ensure high standards of care and regulatory compliance were maintained. A healthcare professional commented, “Emmie Dixon are very easy to contact and reply quickly. They complete actions from meetings in a timely manner.”