Conifers Nursing 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

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.

There was a new management team in place, who shared the same vision for service improvement. The newly appointed manager demonstrated a clear understanding of the challenges facing the service and was actively working to address them.

The operations director said, “We have had to be very transparent and work with openness and with honesty. We knew things have had to improve.” The manager said, “We have a manager's meeting every month and best practice is shared with us and across our other homes. We review the ways of working, and what is not working so well, and this is shared wider so we can all improve.”

While positive progress was apparent, the manager was aware these improvements required further embedding and sustained oversight to ensure long-term impact.

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.

Feedback from people using the service and their relatives and staff was consistently positive regarding the new manager, who was described as approachable and friendly. Comments we received included, “[Name of manager] looks after me. If I want anything, I ask them, and they get if for me. They are a lovely person,” “We know the new manager. They give us our privacy, but we still see them regularly” and “The manager is approachable. They walk around the home, and they are really proactive with communication.”

Staff were welcoming of the about the new leadership team, highlighting a more open, approachable, and supportive culture. This improvement in leadership was seen to have a direct impact on the quality of care provided, with staff feeling more supported and confident in their roles.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff were aware of the process for raising concerns and felt confident to speak up if needed. One member of staff was unfamiliar with the whistleblowing policy; however, they said they still felt comfortable to raise issues. The manager said they would re-circulate the whistle blowing policy to ensure clarity across the team.

Staff consistently reported that the new manager was approachable, listened to their concerns, and acted where possible, fostering a culture of openness and responsiveness. One staff member said, “They [manager] have made a difference. They are very open and lovely, and they listen to our concerns.” Another said member told us, “The manager listens to us, and they are very good and very lovely. They talk to us without any judgement and ask for our opinions and will listen to us.”

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.

There was a fair and inclusive culture within the service, where people were treated with dignity and respect. Staff demonstrated a commitment to equality and supported individuals to express their preferences and wishes.

Some sexuality care plans required review to ensure that the questions asked were relevant, and enabled people to share personal information in a way that felt safe and comfortable for them.

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 systems had significantly improved since the previous inspection, providing stronger oversight and clearer accountability.

Regular audits were being completed and used effectively to identify areas for improvement, with leaders taking ownership of actions where necessary. Audit outcomes were shared with staff and used to inform service development, promoting transparency and continuous learning.

This renewed leadership approach had a positive impact on staff morale, and this was reflected in the quality of care being delivered.

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.

The management team were working effectively with external partners, including the Local Authority, to strengthen the quality of care provided. The service was well known within the local community, and the new leadership team had been actively using these relationships to enhance support for people using the service.

During the inspection, we observed the reverend from the local church deliver a service for residents, based on the requests and feedback provided by people and their relatives through surveys and questionnaires.

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.

The service was on a continuous journey of improvement and had made significant progress in enhancing the quality and safety of care for people. Managers demonstrated a commitment to staying informed about developments in health and social care, ensuring that practices now aligned with current guidance and best practice.

The positive changes introduced by the new leadership team had noticeably influenced the overall atmosphere of the home. People were well cared for, and staff reported feeling happier and more supported in their roles. This was reflected in the welcoming environment and the improved consistency in care delivery.