Prestbury Beaumont

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 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 changed to 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 89 (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 the needs of people and their communities.

The service had a strong and inclusive culture focused on people, relationships and continuous improvement. Leaders promoted a clear vision of personalised, compassionate care, which was understood across the service and consistently reflected in staff practice, people's experiences and feedback from relatives and professionals.

Staff shared a strong commitment to providing person-centred care and improving people's lives. They work collaboratively across the service and understood their collective responsibility for people's well-being. One staff member said, “This is not work for me, this is home,” while another described the service as “providing a genuine human connection.” This was reflected in the warm, compassionate and person-centred interactions we observed.

Staff consistently described positive morale, strong teamwork and a whole home approach. One staff member told us, “Staff morale is very high. We all get on and work as a whole home approach.” Staff described a culture where supporting people was a shared responsibility and did not stop at traditional role boundaries. This had a clear impact on people's everyday experiences as staff across different roles contributed to their well-being. For example, a member of the gardening team had received relevant training and supported people using a wheelchair to enjoy the extensive grounds. This gave people greater opportunity to access an area of their home they enjoyed and demonstrated how the whole home culture benefited people in practice. All staff we spoke with said they would be happy for someone close to them to receive care at the service.

People were active partners in shaping the service. Their views, knowledge, ideas influenced everyday life and service development and there was evidence that their contributions led to changes. People were also supported to use their own skills and agents to contribute to improvement work. This in reinforced a culture where people were valued as partners and had a genuine sense of ownership and belonging within their home. For example, people influenced decisions about food, activities, events and their surroundings and could see changes being made as a result. This contributed to people experiencing the service as their home rather than somewhere where decisions were made for them.

Relatives consistently described a warm, inclusive and homely culture. They said staff worked together across traditional role boundaries to support people's well-being. One relative described a culture where “nothing is not my job,” while another described caring and welcoming support across different areas of the service. They said, “small acts of kindness” and the way staff interacted with their family helped them feel comfortable, reassured and part of the home. This demonstrated that the culture was experienced consistently across the wider staff team, rather than being dependent on individuals or departments.

One professional partner described consistently caring interactions and said they always felt welcomed when visiting. Feedback from people, relatives, professionals and staff alongside our observations demonstrated that the service's values were embedded in everyday practice.

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.

Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and compassionate, with a strong focus on people, staff and continuous improvement. They maintained a detailed understanding of the service and were actively involved in daily life. Staff described leaders as approachable and supportive, with one saying managers were, “On the floor, working alongside us, not just in the office.”

Leaders maintained strong oversight through governance, audits and regular checks. Feedback and findings were acted on promptly, and unannounced visits helped ensure high standards were maintained.

Leaders demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous improvement while building on the service's existing strengths. Relatives with long-standing experience of the service spoke positively about previous leadership and told us the current registered manager had gained their confidence and further strengthened the service. For example, after coming into post, the registered manager identified areas of clinical practice and governance which required strengthening. They responded by increasing oversight and introducing additional training, supervision and clearer accountability for staff. This enabled areas of practice requiring improvement to be identified and addressed and gave leaders greater assurance that staff understood what was expected of them. Staff described the registered manager as ‘courageous’ and praised the deputy manager's ‘excellent’ clinical leadership. Staff highlighted leaders' visible commitment to peoples' welfare and their active involvement in daily life within the service.

Leaders recognised and nurtured individual strengths, creating opportunities for staff to develop, progress and achieve their potential. Staff were supported through training, career development, flexible working and reasonable adjustments. The registered manager described a culture focused on identifying talent and opening opportunities for growth, helping staff feel valued, supported and invested in. For example, one staff member developed into a different role after their strength and ability to engage with people were recognised, including by people living at the service. Leaders supported their development and progression into the role. This meant the service retained and developed a staff member whose skills and relationships were valued by people, while the staff member was able to progress their career. The registered manager said, “We find talent, skill and we open up avenues for development.”

Staff consistently described leaders as approachable, fair and supportive. One staff member described the registered manager as, “100% approachable and fair”, while another said, “[Registered manager] is enthusiastic and their dedication and energy is contagious to all.” One member of staff described it as, “A privilege to work with 2 managers, [registered manager and deputy manager], with the knowledge and passion to make everyone who lives here as happy as they can be.”

Relatives consistently described leaders as visible, accessible and deeply invested in people's well-being. They praised leaders for their compassion, knowledge and support, particularly during periods of change and uncertainty. One relative said, “I don't think you could keep the manager in the office”, while another described the deputy manager's leadership as, “Calm, kind, effective and proactive.” Relatives said the leadership team's caring and supportive approach was reflected across the service. One relative described the registered manager as knowledgeable, reassuring and helpful and gave the family confidence during a difficult time.

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

Staff felt able and encouraged to speak up, raise concerns and share ideas for improvement. They described leaders as approachable, responsive and supportive, and said concerns and suggestions were listened to and acted upon.

The provider had appointed 2 ‘Speak Up’ champions, providing staff with additional routes to raise concerns or seek advice. Staff understood how to escalate concerns both internally and, where necessary, through external whistleblowing procedures.

We observed a positive and open culture in which staff from all roles contributed confidently to discussions about care, risk and service development. Staff demonstrated professional curiosity and felt empowered to challenge practice where this would improve outcomes, safety or quality of care.

Staff consistently told us they felt comfortable raising concerns. One member of staff said, “I will speak up without hesitation.” Another told us, “I personally feel very comfortable raising any concerns. We are encouraged to speak up.”

Staff felt able to share ideas and suggestions for improvement. One member of staff said their, “Concerns and ideas would be listened to and acted upon”, while another told us the registered manager ‘acts on your concerns’. Staff explained managers provided feedback about actions taken, helping them understand what had been done and why.

Staff gave examples of improvements being made following suggestions they had raised, including adaptations to improve accessibility and equipment to support practice. One staff member said, “We're praised for reporting things rather than criticised.”

Whistleblowing arrangements were well understood. Staff confirmed these were covered during induction and revisited through training and discussions. One staff member told us, “Speaking up is seen as part of our responsibility.”

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.

Leaders recognised and celebrated diversity within the workforce and took practical steps to ensure staff felt included, supported and able to thrive in their roles.

Leaders actively celebrated the diversity of the workforce and created opportunities for staff to share their cultures and experiences. For example, ‘Africa Day’ helped promote understanding, inclusion and a sense of belonging across the team.

Leaders demonstrated a strong commitment to equality and inclusion by providing flexible working, reasonable adjustments and personalised support. Staff were involved in shaping the support they received, enabling them to overcome challenges, remain in work and reach their potential.

Staff described a supportive and inclusive culture where individual needs were recognised, and appropriate adjustments were made to support their well-being and success at work.

The provider promoted equality of opportunity and staff development. Leaders recognised individual strengths and potential, providing tailored support and opportunities for progression. For example, one staff member was supported to overcome barriers and develop within the organisation.

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.

Leaders maintained effective oversight through audits, quality assurance systems, action plans and regular reviews. These processes were used to identify improvements, monitor performance and ensure actions were completed.

Regular monitoring of safeguarding, incidents, medicines, health outcomes and workforce well-being enabled risks and concerns to be identified, reviewed and acted upon promptly.

Effective workforce planning, training and induction supported staff competence and service sustainability. An internal staff bank helped maintain consistent, high-quality care when additional staffing was required.

Staff described effective communication systems which ensured important information about people's needs, risks and wellbeing was shared across the service.

Professional partner feedback supported our findings. One professional partner described positive working relationships with the service and said effective clinical and governance systems had been maintained consistently over time.

Relatives described a well-organised and effectively managed service. They told us changes in people's needs were managed promptly, communication was clear and leaders remained accessible. One relative described the provider as, “Going in the right direction”.

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.

People benefited from strong and sustained community partnerships which helped them remain connected to life beyond the service and brought the wider community into their home. Leaders recognise the importance of maintaining relationships, community connections and opportunities for people to continue participating in life outside the service.

The service had established reciprocal relationships with local schools, community groups and faith organisations. These relationships created regular opportunities for people to meet and build relationships with people from outside the service, rather than community involvement being limited to occasional events. People also continued to access the local community through regular outings and visits to places they enjoyed, including trips to local venues and community events.

The service opened its doors to the wider community. For example, through its ‘Don't Dine Alone’ initiative, local people who might otherwise eat alone could share a meal and social contact at the service. People living in nearby independent accommodation could also dine in the service. This created opportunities for people living at the service to meet others, while also enabling the service to contribute to reducing social isolation within the wider community.

A community partner described a long-standing relationship with the service which enabled people to maintain important community and spiritual collections. The relationship worked in both directions, with people supported to participate in the community and members of the community welcomed into the service. The partner described this relationship as very successful for all involved and said staff were keen to build relationships with the local community. Community involvement was sustained and mutually beneficial, rather than limited to individual activities or events.

Links with schools and other local organisations brought different generations and groups into the service where people were supported to attend events and activities outside it. This meant moving into the service did not result in people becoming disconnected from their local community. People continued to have relationship opportunities to develop and maintain relationships beyond the people they lived with and the staff team supporting them.

Relatives and friends were welcomed as part of the life of the service and regularly joined activities, events, and celebrations. Relatives described opportunities to meet and build relationships with other families. This helped people maintain important relationships after moving into the service and strengthened the sense of community experienced by people and those important to them.

Strong partnership working extended to health and social care professionals. Staff maintained effective relationships with external agencies, coordinated support on people's behalf and ensured professional involvement was arranged promptly. Relatives said staff took responsibility for navigating services, rather than leaving families to do so themselves.

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.

Continuous improvement was embedded throughout the service. Leaders, staff, people and relatives were encouraged to share ideas and feedback, which were used to improve practice, drive innovation and enhance people's experiences.

Staff gave examples of suggesting practical improvements to the environment and working arrangements. They described how leaders listened to their ideas and acted promptly, with changes being progressed within a short period of time of being raised. Staff were empowered to identify improvements and could see their suggestions resulted in action.

Staff at all levels were encouraged to contribute ideas and drive improvement. One staff member said, “I am personally always looking for things to be changed and improved, even if they are not strictly in my own department.” Staff gave examples of suggestions being acted on quickly, including environmental adaptations to improve accessibility and equipment changes introduced within days to better meet people's needs.

Leaders demonstrated a proactive commitment to continuous improvement, challenging established practice where this would improve outcomes. The registered manager strengthened clinical governance, staff development and accountability through enhanced training, supervision and oversight. Staff consistently described a learning culture in which reflection, improvement and positive outcomes were prioritised over blame. This approach to learning was reflected in how staff supported people living with dementia. Staff developed their understanding of people's individual communication, behaviour and routines and recognised that changes in behaviour or expression could indicate pain, distress or an unmet need. They adapted communication, used reassurance and meaningful activity, and changed their approach as people’s abilities changed. Learning was established into practice, enabling staff to respond earlier to people’s needs and supporting them to remain involved, maintain relationships and experience care based on their individual identity and preferences.

People were active partners in improving the service. Their ideas and feedback resulted in meaningful changes to the environment, daily experiences and service delivery. Quality improvement was informed by the lived experiences of people, ensuring developments reflected what mattered most to them.

Relatives described seeing their feedback leading to action. One relative told us they were confident that their views contributed to improving peoples experience rather than their feedback simply being acknowledged.

One person told us how their lived experience and expertise was being used to help improve information for other people.

The provider developed initiatives which combined people's experience with wider environmental stability. People and staff developed a vegetable and herb garden and using the home's extensive grounds, catering, maintenance and ground staff work together to select produce based on foods people enjoyed and which could be used in meals. Accessibility was considered so people with mobility needs could participate. We saw produce grown at the home being used by kitchen staff and surplus produce was shared with visitors and the wider community to reduce waste.

The provider maintained a strong focus on learning and development. Governance processes identified improvement opportunities, and learning was shared through supervision, training, meetings and handovers to improve practice and outcomes.