Lord Hardy Court

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. The providers values of caring, honest and proud were embedded in practice. There was an open culture where people were part of decisions made in the home and their voice was listened to and valued.

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 current manager was in the process of registering with the CQC. The manager was supported by a deputy manager who worked alongside the manager supporting and guiding staff and maintaining management systems and quality checks. The provider was in the process of recruiting a second deputy manager. Some people were unsure who the manager was, however there had been some recent changes in the management team and leaders were in the process of liaising with people. Staff told us the management team were supportive.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The provider had a whistle blowing policy in place and operated an open-door policy. The management team encouraged feedback from people, relatives and staff and created a culture where they felt they could raise concerns and feel listened to. Freedom to speak up posters were available around the home with QR codes so staff could raise issues anonymously. Speak up champions were available and actively engaged with the service.

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 manager told us they would offer flexible working where possible and after discussion. Staff had opportunities to increase their knowledge and to progress within the service. Staff had the opportunity to complete a ‘My year ahead plan.’ This focused on what staff wanted to achieve, including progression and any support staff may need. Any targets set had realistic timescales to ensure they were achievable.

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 management team had a series of audits which were used to ensure the home was operating at the quality expected from the provider. Any areas of concerns were quickly identified and actions taken to resolve them.

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 ensured people had access to the community and worked well with partners to ensure better outcomes for people. The staff and management team had built up a good working relationship with the local GP and district nursing team who were helpful and supportive. The service had a café facility which had not been used for a while. The management team had plans to develop this further and invite the local community to use the facility.

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 management team actively involved staff in learning lessons and facilitated changes in practice in order to develop the service.