Merryfields

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 82 (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 had relevant up to date policies covering areas such as dignity, diversity and inclusion. As well as this the management team had completed mental health first aid training to better understand and support staff. We saw evidence of how the management team worked with people, relatives and staff to foster a culture of openness. A relative told us, “Nice atmosphere, very friendly, just feel a part of the big family.” A person said, "It's very homely, just what I wanted.’

However, there were occasions where staff practice did not consistently reflect the efforts made by the management team. For example, they had taken a number of steps to improve the recording of cream applications, although sustained improvements had not yet been achieved.

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.

People, relatives and staff spoke highly of the leadership team at the service. They consistently described the management team as approachable and supportive, particularly during challenging periods. A relative told us, "[Registered manager] is very approachable even if they are busy, they will find time. I'd say that for the deputies as well, they are all brilliant."

The management team recognised and responded to the individual needs of staff. This included supporting staff with neurodiverse needs and enabling staff to access training and development opportunities which helped them progress in their careers. These actions contributed to high staff morale, good staff retention and a positive workplace culture.

Many staff had worked for the provider for a long time. From our observations and feedback, it was evident the management team had a positive impact on the service through supporting staff and promoting career development. This helped maintain a stable workforce and enabled people to receive support from staff who knew them well.

Staff told us they felt well supported by the management team. One staff member said, "Everyone gets treated the same, no one is different, [Registered manager] is very supportive, does support everyone." Another said, "My manager has been my manager the whole time, [they] understand me and have worked hard to find ways to support me." Staff described a culture where they felt valued, listened to and supported to succeed in their roles.

The registered manager told us they were well supported by the owner and assistant manager. This promoted a consistent approach to leadership and helped maintain a positive culture throughout the service.

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

Feedback from people, relatives and staff showed they felt empowered to speak up if they had any concerns, by the registered manager’s openness and willingness to listen to them. We saw evidence of how the registered manager worked with people, relatives and staff to enable them to speak up. People told us the registered manager and assistant manager were very visible in the service and staff told us they had a number of opportunities to ensure their views on the care they provided were heard. This could be in handover meetings, staff meetings, supervisions or popping in for a chat.

We saw the registered manager had an open-door policy. On many occasions throughout the assessment staff, people and relatives were constantly going in and out, engaging in meaningful conversations, laughing and joking.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them.

The provider valued diversity within its workforce and promoted an inclusive and fair culture. They worked to improve equality and equity for staff and ensured people were treated with respect regardless of their background or individual circumstances.

There was a diverse staff team working at the service and all staff we spoke with told us they felt valued by both the management team and their colleagues. This contributed to a positive culture and good staff morale.

The management team recognised and responded to individual staff needs, including supporting staff who experienced language barriers. Through regular one-to-one supervision and tailored support, staff were helped to develop their communication skills and confidence. This inclusive approach enabled staff to reach their potential and contributed to positive outcomes for people using the service.

The provider and registered manager ensured staff were supported equally and that diversity was recognised, respected and valued. For example, staff living with neurodiverse conditions, including ADHD and dyslexia, were provided with iPads that supported dictation and electronic recording, alongside additional one-to-one support during supervisions and appraisals. This helped reduce barriers and enabled staff to work confidently and effectively in their roles.

Staff also told us the registered manager supported them to develop professionally and was flexible when staff wished to undertake further education and training. This included taking on additional knowledge to champion a specific subject. This enabled staff to progress in their careers while continuing to provide high-quality care and support to people using the service. A staff member told us, “If I wanted to do training, the directoris very helpfuland pays for all the training.” A staff member told us they were not a manager but were allowed to continue training to leadership level, ‘I have also done my level 5diplomaand management and leadership I have passed and I’m proud of it.’

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.

Overall, the quality monitoring processes in place supported the provision of good quality care. The registered manager and their assistant manager used the auditing tools in place to manage risks to people’s care and safety. There was good oversight of incident and accidents, and how these had been managed to reduce the risks of recurrence. We viewed audits which supported the safe administration of medicines and ensuring the environment was clean and well maintained.

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 was evidence to show the registered manager and their staff worked in partnership with external health professionals to ensure people got the care they needed from the different services they 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.

Throughout our visit we saw evidence and received feedback from staff to show the registered manager focused on improving care. Staff were supported with up to date training and regular supervision. Staff undertook accredited learning to improve their practices and their professional development.

The management team recognised where areas of care could be improved. For example, two short training sessions were developed provide better understanding when supporting people with oral care and eating and drinking. This included opportunities for people to support the staff with oral care and eating and drinking, providing experience and shared understanding.