Grove Court

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 outstanding At this assessment the rating has remained Outstanding. This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the 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.

The management team and staff we spoke with displayed a passion for the service and for what they were aspiring to achieve. The provision of good quality care with positive outcomes for people was evident throughout our inspection of this service.

We found the service had an exceptionally positive culture, demonstrated by staff and the management team. People spoke of an outstanding service that went over and above expectations. The provider shared their mission statement with people and staff: ‘To bring love, inspire more, welcome all and act with purpose.’ Discussions with staff and the management team reflected their commitment and passion to fulfill this vision. Many people’s relatives told us how their family member enjoyed living at the service immensely. One relative said, “It is [family member’s] home and I am confident it is the best place for them to be. They also welcome me as their [relative] and my family; they communicate well and give the feeling we are part of making [family member’s] life as good as it can be. I think that’s pretty impressive.” Another relative told us, “The overall atmosphere, the 'nothing is too much trouble' attitude and professionalism of Grove Court is just marvellous.” And also, “My sibling and I have been hugely impressed by the whole package offered at the home. The care is exceptional, staff fantastic and my [family member] is very happy there. I would have no hesitation in giving it a 5 star rating.”

Many staff spoke passionately about making a difference at Grove Court. One told us, “Everyone that walks into Grove Court is within our care; their safety is our priority” Another staff member said, “I would like you to know that staff at Grove Court are caring, professional, committed to putting [people] first. People and families are supported, respected, and valued, and the overall culture is positive and compassionate.”

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.

There was a strong management team with clear roles and responsibilities. The registered manager was a trusted leader who displayed a passion for the service and who shared their aspirations for exceptional standards of care which were evident throughout our inspection of this service. The registered manager told us, “Leading Grove Court has always meant paying close attention to what everyday life feels like for the individuals who live here. Systems, audits and governance are essential, but they only have value when they result in someone feeling safe, reassured and comfortable in their surroundings.”

Relatives described the registered manager as an outstanding leader who was openly approachable, and completely visible within the service. One relative said, “Management of the home is excellent and communication between everyone is a key example of why this establishment is so caring. It puts the [people] first.” Another relative commented, “All the staff are very approachable and go the extra mile for [people]. I would say the care home is exceptional, exemplified by [registered manager] who is so professional, friendly and approachable.” A third relative told us, “[Registered manager] and their deputy are easily reachable whether you it is something important like a financial or care matter or you yourself need a chat or are upset.”

The registered manager was supported by a strong and person centred focussed leadership team who were all remarkably knowledgeable about the people living at the home and their individual needs. We observed a daily meeting where key information was shared to ensure everyone in all roles at the service were kept up to date and received essential information about people’s well-being and safety. External professionals consistently told us the management team was approachable and responsive. One professional said, “It is a pleasure visiting Grove Court each week, and if I ever had a relative needing care, this would definitely be the home I would recommend.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. People’s relatives provided highly positive feedback about the approachability and integrity of the registered manager. Comments included, “Management are approachable and friendly and emails are answered promptly.” And “[Registered manager’s] communication with me during the early weeks of my [family member’s] residency has been first class, and [registered manager] has made every effort to ensure any questions I’ve asked are answered promptly.” The provider also had a Freedom to Speak Up policy and a whistleblowing policy in place, which staff were aware of and able to access. These policies supported an open culture by giving staff clear routes to raise concerns safely and confidentially.
Feedback was actively encouraged, with people, relatives and visitors to the home invited to share their views. There was a system for logging all concerns and complaints. This evidenced clear audit trails of actions taken in response in line with the provider’s policy on handling complaints.

Feedback was encouraged and welcomed. The provider told us of examples wherechange had been actioned following feedback, “Feedback from [people], relatives and staff is activelysoughtand used to drive continuous improvement within the home. This is done via [people], relative and employee surveys, meetings, and a range of formal and informal routes which provide options for anonymity and whistleblowing.”

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. Many staff, from different job roles, spoke positively about being valued and described the service as a great place to work, with supportive colleagues. A staff member told us, “I feel valued as managers acknowledge staff contributions and provide feedback to support professional development.” Another staff member commented, “On a personal note,the managers at Grove Court are fantastic and supportive and guided me into my [job role]. On days where I have struggled, they have always supported me and given me reassurance. So,100% I feel management are supportive.”

The provider demonstrated a strong and embedded commitment to workforce equality,diversity and inclusion, which was clearly a strategic priority for the service. Leaders actively promoted an inclusive culture where difference was valued, celebrated and translated into meaningful support for staff well being and retention. A wide range of equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives were in place, including both local and organisation-wide employee awards recognising contribution and living the service’s values, alongside wider initiatives to support employee financial security. Equality, diversity and inclusion were actively championed through a programme of awareness events and celebrations, including pride month led by a diversity champion, black history month which included guest speakers and an interactive drumming workshop, as well as international men’s day which incorporated a celebration of disability talent. The service also encouraged colleague-led cultural events, with staff organising celebrations such as Chinese New Year, a Filipino shared lunch and Diwali festivities.The provider told us how these initiatives helped staff feel respected, visible and valued, and contributed to a positive, inclusive culture where people felt proud to work at the service.

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.

The management at the service had implemented robust systems of governance and audit and detailed quality assurance processes were in place and were designed to give an effective overview of the quality of the service whilst identifying any shortfalls.

Regulatory responsibilities were understood clearly by leaders and there were robust arrangements for the management of records and data systems. The registered manager told us they received consistent and positive support from the provider.

The registered manager demonstrated a commitment to improvement through investment in training, strong relationships with external partners and the staff team, and ongoing improvements informed by feedback and experience. The registered manager told us, “It is important to remind ourselves that good care is not measured only in tasks completed, but in the confidence our residents feel when they know they are safe and understood. As evidenced in the numerous reviews and compliments we receive and shared.”

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. Partner organisations spoke exceptionally highly of the positive relationships they had developed with the provider, and with confidence about how the service worked with them proactively to advocate for and ensure timely support was provided to the people in their care. To enhance the quality and experience people received, leaders promoted collaborative ways of working with specialist services such as the community nursing team, care home in-reach team, occupational therapies, mental health services and other external professionals to support people’s needs. The service also engaged in Multi‑Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings as required, when individuals’ care needs indicated that coordinated multi‑agency input was necessary. One health professional told us, “I have always found the staff to be very welcoming when I visit Grove Court and obliging to any requests that I have… when I have visited [people] they all seem happy and well cared for. There is a lovely atmosphere within the home and lots of activities either going on or being planned. [People] interact with each other which is lovely to see.” Another healthcare professional commented, “I visit multiple homes around the area, and can honestly say this is the home I recommend to my patients, friends and family.” This united approach ensured people received safe, coordinated care.

The provider had built strong collaborative links within the local community. This included partnerships with local schools, churches, community groups and volunteers. The registered manager told us, “Relationships with nearby schools bring regular intergenerational visits that [people] often speak about long afterwards. Following one visit, a [person] who had previously been quite reserved spoke at length about their [previous career], sharing stories that we had not heard before.”

A group of volunteers spent time every day at Grove Court and were an important complement to the staff team. Volunteers spent quality time with people running a mobile shop, spending time engaging with people who were cared for in bed. During our visit one person purchased a silk scarf from the volunteer run shop telling us how delighted they were with their purchase.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and wider local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcomes and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The provider and management team demonstrated a clear commitment to continuous learning and improvement, using a range of lessons learned to drive meaningful change across the service and in response to any incidents that occurred. For example, following a medicine inventory error, all staff administering medicines completed revised training, new guidance was created, and shared learning took place.

The service also strengthened its partnership working by delivering training jointly with the local hospice, supporting staff to enhance their skills and improveend‑of‑lifecare practice. The provider told us, “We have developed a strong working relationship with the local hospice, ensuring staff can draw on specialist palliativeexpertisewhen supporting [people] with complex needs, we have received our accreditation for this. In addition, we welcomed the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) specialist nurse, who provided in-depth education to staff on what it truly feels like to live with MND. This experiential insight has had a profound impact on staff empathy,understandingand quality of care.”

These actions demonstrated a sustained commitment to continuous learning and improvement, using lessons learned and collaborative training to drive change across the service.