Kernow 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 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.

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 an obvious culture of providing care and support in a person-centred, caring environment. Throughout the assessment staff and people referred to Kernow House as their ‘home’. There were 3 named units at Kernow House and staff referred to supporting people in their ‘communities’. The atmosphere was positive, staff appeared relaxed and were smiling and friendly when they spoke with people or assisted them with any tasks.

People, relatives, staff and external professionals felt the service was well run. People felt valued, listened to and included. People, relatives and staff explained they felt communication was very good and the management were very approachable.

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.

Senior managers at Kernow House demonstrated a commitment to compassionate, inclusive practice.

Staff were highly complimentary about the registered manager who they described as, ‘approachable” and told us “their office door is always open, they listen.” Staff gave us many examples of how the registered manger had provided emotional and practical support and been flexible in managing their working pattern so they could meet work and their own personal commitments.

External professionals also commented on the management of the service. Comments included;“Communications have always been exceptional, with [the registered manager] and their staff, very quick to respond to emails and telephone enquiries,” and “I have never had any concerns in relation to the care delivery at Kernow House and in my role over the years have been aware of their safety procedures and reporting procedures, which I have always found to be transparent, with any issues regarding any clients on our caseloads.”

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

The provider had a clear whistle blowing policy. Staff could raise concerns, and written information was available of how to do this. Staff meetings took place, and staff had the opportunity to share comments and give feedback.

The service’s complaints policy was available in accessible formats and people were comfortable raising any concerns with the registered manager. People and relatives told us they had “no complaints” about the support the service provided.

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 staff team was diverse, and staff came from different backgrounds and cultures. Staff from all cultures said they worked well together as a team. A member of staff from overseas told us they had not experienced any discrimination at work and were treated fairly.

Additional support was offered to staff experiencing personal challenges, including flexible working arrangements. Staff were encouraged to develop professionally.

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 and leadership systems provided strong oversight of the service. Monthly audits were completed so any gaps, themes or areas for improvement could be identified. Audits showed action was taken where areas of improvement were identified.

The registered manager met with managers from the organisation’s other services daily. Any issues identified were dealt with promptly so the service could be run effectively.

Policies were relevant to the service and were up to date. The provider had submitted statutory notifications to CQC as required.

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.

Care records showed external health care professionals were involved in people’s care and necessary health checks had been completed.

Feedback from external professionals was consistently positive, they reported being contacted appropriately when concerns were identified relating to people’s well-being. They told us any advice was recorded and acted upon.

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 actively sought feedback from people, their families and staff through surveys and regular meetings. People were complimentary about the manager and their approach.