SENSE - 18 Water Gate

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 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Shared direction and culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

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 had the skills, knowledge and experience to lead effectively to deliver good, effective, high-quality care. A relative told us, “I’d always champion SENSE because they’re marvellous. [Loved one] has the right mix of people to live with.” Staff praised the management. A staff member said, “Both [registered manager and deputy] are skilled and knowledgeable managers. I feel they communicate effectively and are very supportive, helping staff manage hospital appointments and swap shifts when needed. They respect staff opinions and always explain the reasons behind any necessary changes. If the service is short-staffed, [managers] will step in to cover shifts, including sleep-ins. One

example was at New Year, when [registered manager] personally took [name] to visit their family so that other staff could spend time with their loved ones.”

Leaders ensured that the organisational values were being delivered, and risks were professionally managed. They led by example, using inclusive behaviours, open and cooperative relationships. A relative told us, “The manager’s door is always open. She is always there when I go, but she does go to other homes as well and there’s [staff name] I can speak to and they’re both very good with [loved one], and very good with the staff.”

High-quality leadership was sustained through safe, effective, and inclusive recruitment and succession planning. This was evidenced by the deputy manager successfully securing a registered manager’s position for the same provider.

Leaders were knowledgeable about issues and priorities for the quality of services and could access appropriate support and development in their role. A staff member told us, “I receive supervision every three months and attend monthly staff meetings. I feel well supported by the management team. My managers are compassionate and empathetic. When I needed some time off, they were there for me."

We did not look at Freedom to speak up during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The register manager attended local networks and told us, “I regularly access manager forums such as the Lincolnshire Managers’ Network, IPC [Infection Prevention Control] Team and Care Links [Lincolnshire] throughout the year. There had been an annual inspection conducted by the local fire authority, with the most recent taking place on 24 March 2025. Following this inspection, a recommendation was made regarding the fire sprinkler system, which has since been actioned.”

The provider’s in house quality team conducted a comprehensive review of the service which typically ran over two days and involved an in-depth audit of the service. We noted monthly quality assurance audits were being completed by the regional operations manager. Each audit sampled two to three people’s files to make sure records were reviewed and updated as required. Any recommendations had been noted and actioned.

The model of care delivered was in line with current best practice in accordance with CQC’s guidance ‘Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture’. This is a framework developed by CQC to guide health and social care providers in England when delivering care to autistic people and people with a learning disability.

We did not look at Partnerships and communities during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Learning, improvement and innovation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.