Highwell House Care Home with Nursing

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 93 (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 needs of people and their communities.

This culture of excellence was evident across the organisation, with multiple services operated by the provider currently rated Outstanding. This service had previously been rated Outstanding in 2021 and had continued to evolve, with leaders and staff actively identifying opportunities to develop and evidence further outstanding practice. This demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous improvement and delivering consistently exceptional outcomes for people.

The provider had established a clear culture centred on dignity, respect and person-centred care. This was demonstrated through their engagement with the National Dignity Council, which supported the service to embed these values throughout the organisation. The registered manager spoke passionately about ensuring people were treated with dignity and compassion and used learning from the Council to continually strengthen practice. They also shared best practice more widely, including through participation in a podcast. Staff understood the provider's vision and values and actively promoted dignity in all aspects of care. This resulted in people feeling respected, valued and empowered, with their individuality, choices and rights consistently upheld.

The provider promoted a clear set of values centred on belonging, kindness, understanding, trust and joy. These values informed the provider's vision of creating more than a care home, fostering a community where people felt heard, respected and connected, and were supported to live with purpose, independence and joy. These values were thoroughly embedded across the service and had been successful in creating an environment where people experienced a genuine sense of belonging and wellbeing. Staff consistently delivered excellent, compassionate, person-centred care developed in partnership with people and their families. Care was planned around people's wishes, familiar routines, life histories and personal beliefs, enabling people to maintain their identity, independence and choice.

The registered manager and wider management team provided high-quality leadership. This had resulted in planned and continuous improvement across the service, supporting the delivery of high-quality care that enhanced people's quality of life and maximised choice and independence. Improvements had been achieved through investment in the environment, opportunities for staff career progression, enhanced care planning and strengthened governance arrangements. Staffs’ willingness to engage, listen and respond to feedback enabled the service to continually adapt and improve. Feedback from people, family members and staff, alongside observations and records reviewed during the inspection, demonstrated the positive impact of this approach, including improved experiences, stronger relationships and outcomes that mattered to people.

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 registered manager and wider management team were consistently praised by people, their relatives, staff and external professionals. Their visible, approachable and supportive leadership had created a positive and empowering culture where people felt listened to, valued and confident their views would be acted upon. This enabled people to influence decisions about their care and daily lives, resulting in support that was highly personalised and responsive to their individual wishes and preferences. In the annual resident’s survey 100% of those asked said they strongly agreed with the statement ‘I experience positive kind leaders and staff who listen to me and make sure my care and support is right for me’. One person had commented; “(Registered Manager) is always around, she is wonderful, I can go to her for anything if I was worried”.

People and their relatives told us the registered manager's leadership had a direct impact on their experience of care. They described a service where concerns were addressed promptly, ideas were welcomed and staff were supported to consistently deliver high-quality care. This contributed to people feeling safe, respected and able to live their lives in the way they chose.

One person told us, "[Name] is very warm and bright and has a can-do attitude. [Name] has a great energy." A relative said, "[Name] is brilliant and recruits really good people and impresses me at how they manage the home." Feedback consistently reflected the positive influence of the registered manager on the culture of the service and the quality of people's experiences and outcomes.

The registered manager was highly experienced and had worked at the service for many years, giving them a strong understanding of the people they supported and the culture of the service. They demonstrated a clear vision and genuine passion for delivering high-quality care in line with the organisation's values. They were committed not only to achieving positive outcomes for people living at the service but also to supporting staff development through ongoing training, learning opportunities and career progression.

The positive impact of the registered manager's leadership was reflected in the strong relationships they had built with people, staff and partner organisations. Their collaborative approach helped to promote high standards of care and positive outcomes for people. An external professional told us, "(Name) is an excellent leader who works well with us."

The strong and inclusive leadership helped foster a culture where people felt supported, staff felt valued, and partnership working was effective, helping to drive continuous improvements and positive experiences for people living at the service.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt able to speak up and were confident their views would be listened to and acted upon.

Staff told us the management team encouraged them to be open and honest, and they felt confident raising concerns. Staff understood the provider's whistleblowing policy and felt supported to speak up if they had concerns about people's care or safety. This promoted an open culture where concerns could be raised without fear and acted upon promptly. One staff member told us, "I have excellent support from the registered manager. I would not have any issues approaching them or taking concerns to them."

The registered manager was highly visible and accessible throughout the service and promoted an open-door approach. This meant staff, people and their relatives felt able to approach them at any time to share feedback, raise concerns or discuss ideas. One person told us, "(Name) is very visible around the home and is very approachable."

The provider valued diversity within its workforce and promoted an inclusive and fair culture where staff felt respected, supported and treated equally.

The provider's policies and procedures promoted equality, diversity and inclusion. The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and demonstrated this through fair recruitment practices and by ensuring staff were treated with dignity and respect. Staff spoke positively about the culture within the service. One staff member told us, "All of the staff get on really well, and we are all treated equally and fairly."

The provider had effective systems in place to identify and address any concerns relating to discrimination, bullying or harassment. Regular supervision, staff meetings and annual anonymous staff surveys gave staff opportunities to share their views and experiences. The registered manager also promoted an open-door approach, creating a culture where staff felt listened to, valued and confident speaking up. This helped to ensure a supportive and inclusive working environment for all staff.

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

Robust governance processes were embedded throughout the service to assess, monitor and improve quality and safety. Comprehensive audits, service reviews and monitoring tools were completed regularly, providing clear oversight of performance and enabling timely action where improvements were identified. These systems promoted continuous learning, drove service improvement and ensured risks were effectively managed, helping to maintain consistently high standards of care. The provider demonstrated a commitment to best practice through regularly reviewed policies and procedures, while a comprehensive business continuity plan outlined effective arrangements for responding to emergencies and unforeseen events.

Annual quality assurance surveys were completed by people using the service, their relatives and staff. Feedback was analysed, shared with the team and used to identify both strengths and opportunities for improvement. Actions arising from feedback were implemented and reviewed, resulting in meaningful changes that improved experiences and demonstrated that people's views directly influenced service development.

External professionals consistently spoke positively about the quality of care provided and the leadership of the service. One professional told us, “I think they are excellent. They provide really good care and have a good ethos.” This reflected the positive reputation the service had developed with stakeholders and partner organisations.

The provider had effective workforce planning arrangements in place, ensuring there were sufficient numbers of skilled and competent staff to meet people's needs. Staff benefited from clear role expectations, comprehensive induction programmes, regular supervision and ongoing learning opportunities. Strong leadership, high-quality training and a supportive, inclusive culture contributed to good staff retention, helping to promote continuity of care and positive outcomes for people using the service.

The provider demonstrated a commitment to environmental sustainability through a range of green initiatives. Recycling systems were embedded within the service, encouraging responsible waste management. Staff and people using the service were actively involved in developing more sustainable garden areas to support local wildlife, while also creating attractive outdoor spaces that promoted wellbeing and enjoyment.

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 provider recognised that many people living at the service had been part of the local community for most of their lives and understood the importance of maintaining those connections. Supporting people to remain active and visible within their community was embedded in practice. People were regularly supported to attend activities and events that reflected their individual interests and preferences, including visits to local pubs, garden centres, theatres, markets and events organised by community groups such as the Women's Institute. People spoke positively about the impact this had on their sense of belonging and identity. One person told us, "Bromyard is where I'm from and I still feel part of the community," while another said, "I sometimes visit the local market in the town, there are people there that remember me."

People's care records evidenced exceptionally strong and well-established relationships with a wide range of external professionals, demonstrating that partnership working was fully embedded within the culture of the service. There was clear evidence of effective coordination with health and social care partners to ensure people's changing needs were anticipated and met in a timely way. The service had developed a particularly strong partnership with the local GP practice, enabling a shared understanding of people's needs and facilitating swift access to professional advice and support. This collaborative approach promoted proactive, preventative healthcare and contributed to improved outcomes, enhanced wellbeing and a consistently high quality of life for people using the service.

The provider also actively brought the community into the service, creating meaningful opportunities for people to maintain relationships and build new connections. The local vicar visited to provide communion and pastoral support, while links with local schools enabled children to visit the service, spend time with people and share stories and experiences. These interactions were valued by people and helped foster intergenerational relationships.

A strong sense of community had also been developed within the service itself. Friends and family members were encouraged to play an active role in people's lives and were welcomed at any time. Hospitality was a key part of the culture, with visitors routinely offered food and refreshments. Regular events, celebrations and special dinners were held, providing opportunities for people, relatives and friends to come together, strengthen relationships and maintain connections that were important to them.

The provider demonstrated a longstanding commitment to learning, improvement and innovation, continually seeking new ways to enhance people's experiences, outcomes and quality of life while contributing to best practice across the wider social care sector.

This commitment to excellence had been recognised both locally and nationally. The provider had received multiple awards for its contribution to social care, including the West Midlands Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award (2014), the National Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award (2015) and the West Midlands Care Employer Award (2017). In addition, the provider was recognised as one of the Top 20 Care Home Groups in 2026 by carehome.co.uk and was a national finalist at the Great British Care Awards 2026. Highwell House also received a Highly Commended recognition at the National Care Awards 2024.These achievements demonstrated a longstanding commitment to driving innovation, developing the workforce and improving outcomes for people who use services.

Leaders had fostered a well-established culture of learning and improvement. Robust systems supported the consistent sharing of learning and good practice between its care homes. Leaders attended regular meetings to discuss what worked well, share ideas, review incidents and agree actions for improvement. This helped ensure learning was rapidly embedded across services, driving continuous improvements in the quality, consistency and safety of care people received.

The provider placed a strong emphasis on staff learning and development, recognising its importance in sustaining a skilled and compassionate workforce for the future. Partnerships had been established with local universities to offer student nurse placements, with six members of the nursing team trained as student nurse practice supervisors. The service had been nominated for Outstanding Practice Learning Environment by the local university. This demonstrated the provider's commitment to supporting the development of future nurses and promoting career opportunities within social care. The registered manager spoke passionately about encouraging nurses to consider careers in the social care sector, recognising the vital role they play in enabling people to receive the support they need within their communities. Supporting student placements also benefited the home by fostering a culture of learning, bringing fresh perspectives and evidence-based practice into the service. This helped ensure people continued to receive high-quality care informed by current best practice and delivered by a skilled and motivated workforce.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous improvement through the proactive adoption of technology and innovative practices. A discreet acoustic monitoring system had been implemented to alert staff to unusual sounds, reducing the need for routine night-time door checks. This promoted people's privacy, dignity and quality of sleep while maintaining their safety. The technology also generated valuable information about behavioural and sound patterns, which was used to inform personalised care planning and improve care delivery.

Improving people's quality of life remained central to service development. Leaders worked closely with people to understand what mattered most to them and used this feedback to shape improvements. As a result, changes were meaningful, reflected people's priorities and contributed to better experiences and outcomes.