Kenneth House

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 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 questiongood. At thisassessmentthe rating hasremainedgood.

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 71 (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,strategyand 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.For example,theproviderfollowed the principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, providing care in a homely environment promotingindependence and community involvement. Staff did notwear uniforms, which helped create a relaxed atmosphere, and people were supported to live ordinary lives and access local services.Theregisteredmanager wasopen about areas for improvement, including environmental standards and medicines management, and had plans in place to address these. Staff shared common values and spoke positively about the culture. One said, “We are a lovely supportive caring team, and it’s a positive place to work,” and another told us, “We’re a very happy staff team,it’s like a family dynamic.”

The provider had an inclusiveregisteredmanager who understood the context in which they delivered care,treatmentand support, and who embodied the values of the service. Theregisteredmanager had the skills,knowledgeand experience to lead effectively and did so with integrity,opennessand honesty. For example, feedback fromfamilieshighlighted theregisteredmanager was approachable,visibleand supportive. One family member told us, “The manager will always make themselves available when I wish to talk to them. They are often out of the office and sitting withpeopleand staff.”

Theregisteredmanager promoted a positive and empowering culture for staff.One staff member told us, “They listen to us.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.For example, staff told us they felt confident to raise concerns and share their views. One member of staff told us, “Yes,we have regular meetings where we can air our opinions. Theylisten;that’sthe main thing.” Another told us, “The organisation makes it very easy for us to speak up, there’s always someone to reach out to.”

The provider valued diversity in their staff team and worked to create a fair and inclusive place to work. For example, staff said they were supported as individuals and their personal needs wereconsideredthrough flexible and supportive working arrangements.Staff said they felt listened to and able to share their ideas. One said,“I’ve definitely put forward ideas over the years and they’ve been listened to.”Staff described the team aspositive and respectful, with one saying,“We all get on well, there’s no problem in Kenneth House.”

The provider did not always have fully effective systems of accountability and governance toidentifyand address risks.For example, issuesidentifiedrelating to medicines management and environmental standards had not always beenidentifiedthrough existing audit processes,indicatingthe need to strengthen oversight.

However, the registered manager understood their responsibilities, including notifying CQC and other relevant agencies ofsignificant events. A range of systems and processes were in place to assess,monitorand improve the quality and safety of the service.The registered manager used a management toolkit which included audits of incidents and accidents, safeguarding, care records, stafftrainingand supervision, as well ashealth and safetyand medicines.

The registered manager recognised the gaps in oversight anddemonstratedinsight into the areas requiring improvement. An improvement plan was in place, and we were provided with assurance action had been taken to strengthen governance systems and improve their effectiveness.

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.For example, regular communication tookplace to review health needs, manage medicationqueriesand plan proactive care such as annual health reviews. Staffweresupported to share relevant health information, enabling informed clinical discussions and reducing the need for unnecessaryface‑to‑faceappointments. Professionals consistently described managers as knowledgeable, proactive andperson‑centred, which supported effective joint working and tailored healthcare responses.

One professional told us,“We have developed very positive working relationships with the managers, which supports effective joint working.”Another professional told us,“The managers are very helpful and knowledgeable about the residents, they understand individuals well and treat them as people, which supports us to offer the most appropriate care.”

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience,outcomesand quality of life for people, and actively contributed to safe and effective practice. For example, the registered manager sought the views of people, theirfamiliesand staff through regular meetings and surveys, giving them opportunities to share their feedback,ideasand suggestions. Records of meetings showed improvements were made in response to this feedback, including changes to activities.There were clear processes in place to support learning and improvement. The area manager completed regular reviews of incidents and accidents toidentifyany trends and ensureappropriate actionwas taken. In addition, mock inspections and regular reviews of care plans were carried out, which supported ongoing learning and helped to improve the quality of care provided.