Edgar Street Residential 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 changed to 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 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.

At the time of our visit, the service had no registered manager in place. However, the acting manager had submitted her application for this role, and had had extensive knowledge of the home as they had previously held the position. The manager was exceptionally experienced, knowledgeable and committed to their role within the learning disability sector. Feedback received from multiple professionals praised the manager’s passion, and tireless advocacy for the people supported at the home.

The provider of the service visited the service 6 weekly, and had regular online meetings with the manager to ensure oversight of the service. Managers told us the provider was supportive of staff, and staff told us the provider was approachable on their visits.

Staff were able to tell us about the culture and shared values of the home. These were also known by people who lived there. The culture was open and transparent, opportunities to grow and develop were seen as valuable, and change for the better was embraced.
 

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.

The provider supported the manager to become a recognised training provider of The Oliver McGowan course, and BILD Act certified training in positive behavioural support. The provider’s approach demonstrated an outstanding standard of workforce support and inclusive leadership. The manager engaged exceptionally well with external partners, and collaborated with others to gain knowledge and share best practice.

People’s relatives told us managers kept in regular contact, keeping them informed on what was happening at the home and inviting them to events, such as when people engaged in charitable, or social engagements. Relatives told us that managers always spoke with them when they visited the service. Staff told us managers were knowledgeable, approachable, supportive and inclusive. They explained how managers supported them inside the workplace, such as guiding them with course work, supporting them with the use of new electronic care systems and improved ways of working. Professionals that we spoke to told us about the about the dedication and commitment of all staff at the service, and the manager, with one professional telling us, “I have worked/work with many providers and have never come across one so person centred, knowledgeable, and caring.” Staff said managers at the service were highly visible and support from managers was always available.

This strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion directly contributed directly to the positive, empowering and open culture within the service. Staff were highly motivated and exceptionally proud of their workplace. This passion and pride in their work, and genuine care for the people they supported, allowed staff to deliver consistent high quality, person centred care.
 

The provider was exceptional at fostering a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff and managers at the service told us they had a strong belief in the good that ‘speaking up’ did for the service, not just for the people that lived there, but also for the good of the staff team. One member of staff told us, “I’m always speaking up, it’s good to say things out loud, get things of my chest, and ask questions, it’s how we get better. There are always things that could be better.” One person told us, “This is my home, and I can say what I want, when I want, it’s important that I’m listened to”.

People and staff knew about policies in relation to safeguarding, speaking up and whistleblowing and knew how to access them. A grievance policy was also in place. Staff understood they had a duty to speak up and protect others and their integrity in this was a vital part of their role.

Staff meetings included a section for staff to raise any matters they wished to discuss, and meetings gave people the same opportunity to speak up. In addition to this, surveys allowed staff, people and their relatives to raise concerns anonymously should they wish to. Regular house meetings enabled people to raise any matters they wished for discussion. People told us that they felt completely confident talking to staff and managers and felt comfortable discussing anything with them. It was clear from our observations that people felt relaxed and confident when conversing with staff and managers and that no subjects were ‘off topic’.
 

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 inclusive recruitment policies and procedures in place that supported diversity and inclusion. Staff with protected characteristics had been supported by the provider making reasonable adjustments when required.

Staff told us they felt valued by the provider, and they were treated fairly in the workplace.

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.

Governance system at the service were continually reviewed to ensure their ongoing effectiveness. When systems or procedures did not meet the needs of the service, new systems had been introduced and new procedures developed to better meet the needs of the service. Managers provided feedback and worked with software engineers, to make alterations to systems to make sure processes were truly person centred.

Clear roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability were in place at the service. These systems operated effectively across the service, and were used to monitor performance, manage risk and drive continuous improvement.

The manager at the service fostered and promoted an inclusive, transparent and open culture, with a focus on continual learning, development and growth. Staff told us they felt well supported and empowered to develop in their roles, and leaders demonstrated a clear commitment to nurturing talent and recognising achievement. We saw evidence of promotion from within the service when appropriate.
 

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.

The manager of the service had established and maintained copious links within the local community. They actively sought out connections that were meaningful, personalised and would enrich people’s daily lives, and increased their sense of self. People’s lives were deeply embedded into community life, and one person at the service delivered workshops and training sessions within the local community. People living at the home, when appropriate had been supported to seek employment, and actively participated in range of social activities.

During our assessment visit we discussed areas for potential improvement at the home. The managers engaged with our suggestions and did so in an inquisitive manner. It was clear the ethos of the home was one of engagement and working in collaboration. We saw evidence our suggestions, after discussion, were promptly acted on.

The staff team empowered people to play an active part in their community, continually encouraging people to access new experiences and opportunities. When we visited the service people could not stop telling us about their many experiences working with others. They shared these stories with great pride and enthusiasm and acknowledge the providers role in supporting to achieve these outcomes.
 

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

Governance and oversights systems at the home included audits of service quality, health and wellbeing, health and safety, finances and medications. These audits were conducted regularly, actions were identified, with specified time frames for resolution and action outcomes were recorded. Information received from these audits was assessed for quality assurance, enabling the identification of ongoing themes or root causes.

The manager of the service proactively engaged with and played an integral role in the care provider forum; this is a place where providers and managers come together to discuss challenges in care, and share best practice and leaning. The manager also acted as chair of a countywide safeguarding adults board and actively promoted safeguarding both within home and across the wider sector across the local county. They championed good practice and encouraged collaborative approaches to identify themes and trends across the sector, and to encourage and influence wider improvements. As well as contributing significantly to these forums, they also brought back learning to ensure the service was always adhering to best recent practice, such as how to manage people’s finances in line with current best practice.

Minutes from staff meetings detailed how staff were encouraged to put themselves in people’s shoes, be inquisitive and think creatively to support the delivery of truly person-centred care.