Anchor House - Doncaster

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 which confirmed 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 Inadequate. At this assessment the rating has changed to Requires Improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care, however, there had been improvements in leadership and governance following the previous inspection. These improvements needed to be embedded to ensure continued and sustained improvement.

This service scored 57 (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 did have a newly created 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 and the management team needed to ensure the new vision and values were fully understood and embedded with the new care support team. The new staff handbook contained the visions and values for the organisation. There was commitment by the provider to meet the needs of people entrusted to their care and to ensure they were able to live the lives they chose at Anchor House. Our discussion with the provider and the Directors confirmed their passion and enthusiasm for continuous improvement of care and support. The new, emergent culture of quality and person-centred care needed to be sustained.

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. Leaders were passionate about care and support. They were dedicated to making and sustaining improvements to the quality of care and outcomes for people. The management team were well organised. The new systems and processes which had been developed were supporting the journey of improvement in the care home. The Directors were committed to providing continued support to the management team to maintain and embed improvements. People who lived in the care home told us about the leadership team. One person said, “There is a new owner. It is better now; they have made some changes. They come around with fruit juice on some days, which is nice. The [new] manager is alright, I don’t have much to do with them. I did ask them something and they sorted it out.” Some people told us they didn’t know the new manager or hadn’t met them yet.

The provider fostered a culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. There was a whistleblowing policy in place. The management team told us there had been a teaching session for members of staff to inform them about who to report issues to both internal and externally. The manager was also supporting members of staff to ensure they were confident in raising concerns. The changes and improvements to supporting members of staff to speak up needed to be embedded and sustained.

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 provider had an equality, diversity and inclusion policy in place. The management team supported an inclusive and diverse workforce. Members of staff told us about how they felt being part of the care and support team. One member of staff said, “I feel valued as a team member and I feel my concerns and opinions are listened to and respected.” Another member of staff told us, “I’m proud to work at Anchor House – Doncaster. We provide a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment where residents are genuinely at the centre of everything we do. Every day, I see the impact of high-quality, person-centred care and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

The provider had clear responsibilities and systems of accountability. There were new governance systems in place which were used to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. The provider acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate. Improvements had been made to governance in the care home. New governance and quality monitoring systems had been introduced and were in the process of being embedded into standard practice. The new systems needed to be carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure they continued to identify areas for improvement. We asked people who lived in the care home if they thought it was well led. Feedback was varied. One person told us, “Yes, there have been some subtle improvements, there are some new owners and staff. There are changes in food, they come around asking if you are alright.” Another person told us, “I think so, I haven’t noticed any changes.” Another person said, “Yes, I think is better than it used to be. The food is better and the staff will do what you ask. I am happier now.”

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 were good links with local GP practices, dentists, opticians, podiatrists and social workers which ensured care and outcomes for people were reviewed and monitored. People were able to access the local community and the provider told us about plans they had to support student work experience placements and developing links with local schools.

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. There was evidence of learning and improvement following the previous inspection. New systems and processes had been developed and there was focussed approach to person-centred care and support. Improvements and changes needed to be sustained and embedded along with a consistent review of systems and processes to support a culture of continuous improvement.