Westgate 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.

Feedback from people and their families about Westgate House was positive. They told us the service had improved. A person said, “Staff are wonderful, and this place has changed so much recently.”

Staff spoke positively about the service and told us they were happy working there. They said they felt supported by the manager and the provider and worked well together as a team.

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.

There was a manager in post who told us they were in the process of applying to register with the Care Quality Commission. They were supported by a deputy manager. Both were registered nurses and were able to provide leadership on clinical practice. Staff spoke positively about the leadership of the service. A member of staff described the manager as ‘helpful’ and said, “I can contact them at any time.” Another staff member said, “[Manager] is good. If you have concerns, they help you. They don’t just sit in the office; they are on the floor a lot.”

A professional told us the manager was knowledgeable about the people living in the service. They described the manager as caring and kind and willing to work collaboratively with external professionals.

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

The provider had a whistleblowing policy, and staff told us they knew how to use it if needed. Staff felt confident that the manager would act on any safeguarding concerns they raised. They told us the management team was visible throughout the service and, when the manager was in their office, the door was always open.

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.

Staff recruitment was carried out in line with good practice and equal opportunities principles. Staff were recruited with the appropriate skills and values, and the staff team reflected the cultural diversity of people living at the service.

Staff had access to training opportunities within the organisation that equipped them with the skills needed to carry out their roles. Staff told us the provider gave them protected time away from the service to study, develop skills relevant to their work and improve their career prospects.

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.

The provider had a clear and robust governance framework to ensure safety and quality checks were completed. Audits monitored all aspects of care and support, including medicines, health and safety, and areas of people’s care such as falls. Records provided clear audit trails of the actions required and the dates on which they had been completed.

Independent audits were carried out by the local authority and the provider’s quality team to monitor the safety and quality of the service. Actions identified through these audits were addressed and completed promptly.

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 provider worked collaboratively with a range of external healthcare services when people required support. Staff supported people to attend appointments in the community or at hospital.

The provider worked with other organisations that visited the service to provide entertainment and leisure activities. Staff also supported people to access community-based services, including shops, and to take part in trips when possible.

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 embraced technology where this improved the safety and wellbeing of people it supported. Staff told us they supported a person to use an iPad to communicate and express their wishes. Other technology included sensor mats used to monitor people’s safety when moving.

The provider had a range of IT-based monitoring systems that captured information and identified where action was required to improve the quality of the service.

The provider was receptive to suggestions made during our visit. They took immediate action to address the issues we identified and improve the service.