Meadow Park

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 inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has remained good. This meant the service management and leadership were consistent. Leaders and the culture they created supported the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 82 (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. New staff received support and training which helped them to demonstrate the provider’s values in their daily work with people. Staff volunteered to work as champions and took the lead in specific areas, including dementia care, nutrition and infection control. They did additional training and shared their learning and highlighted best practice with the staff team. The staff at the home were individually recognised and won awards for their care and dedication. The staff team were nominated by residents, families and colleagues in the Barchester care awards as ‘Team of the Year’ in 2025 for their dedication and hard work. Staff were dedicated, involved in multi-disciplinary meetings and gave ideas to produce better outcomes for people and to achieve person-centred care. The ethos of the organisation and service was believed in and followed by all staff to help people receive person centred care. A staff member told us, “I enjoy working at Meadow Park, the staff work as a team, and I enjoy being with the older generation.” There was a cycle of learning, improving and always striving for the best care and support for people's needs so could be met effectively. A staff member commented, “We receive training and there are good processes in place, there is a good culture for reporting and concerns or incidents.”

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. The registered manager had worked to boost staff morale and strengthen teamwork. Staff feedback confirmed that morale had improved, supported by the fact that vacancies had been filled and reliance on agency staff had decreased. Staff members’ comments included, “There is good teamwork”, “We have a whole home approach, staff work together” and “There is a good work culture.” All people, relatives, staff and professionals said the registered manager was “very approachable”. A relative commented, “I speak to the manager if I need to, they are very approachable.” People, staff and professionals were complimentary about the registered manager. Their comments included, “The manager and deputy are good, they are accessible, their door is always open. The manager is very knowledgeable and experienced”, “The manager is visible on the floor daily” and “The manager always stops to say hello as they pass.” Staff had the opportunity to develop and received leadership training to help them in their management roles. A senior staff member told us, “I have completed level 5 training in leadership and management.”

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 about how to do this. Staff meetings took place, and staff had the opportunity to share comments and give feedback. A staff member commented, “It was a staff idea that staff would be given people to buy Christmas gifts for, so they get an individual gift that means something to them rather than everyone getting the same toiletry gift set or socks, for example.” People were informed of the complaints procedure when they started to use the service and at meetings. A relative told us, “We asked for a meeting to chat with the manager. They were approachable and sorted an issue out.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. Staff told us they were able to ask for reasonable adjustments to be made to their working patterns for specific needs, for example, to incorporate family commitments.

The provider ensured the governance was effective and robust, including the monitoring of the quality-of-service provision. The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and 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. Regular audits and checks were carried out in the main areas of the service, such as, around care records, health and safety and staff practice. The registered manager and senior staff could explain governance systems in the service and their individual responsibilities.

Staff at the service 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. A professional commented, “On the whole we find that staff are keen for support and follow guidance well. They are friendly, professional and make time to see the patients with us when they can which is very helpful. Generally, they are knowledgeable about the service user, and the referral has come from genuine concern or identified issues.” The management team were positive about their links with local partners and health and social care teams. Management attended local provider forums to share good practice.

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. There was evidence of changes that had been made to the service to make improvements and to address checks and audits outcomes and in response to people and staff feedback.