Dearne Valley Care Centre

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 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 clear and shared vision, strategy and culture based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, and a strong understanding of the needs of people and their communities. This approach created a positive, person centred and empowering culture where people’s needs and wishes were consistently placed at the centre of the service.

The registered manager was passionate about improving people’s quality of life, and staff clearly shared this vision. Staff understood the values of the service and recognised their role in ensuring people felt cared for, respected and valued. They described being proud to work for the service and committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for the people they supported. Staff spoke about their passion for supporting people to achieve outstanding outcomes, and relatives consistently described the service as extremely caring.

The service had a homely, calm and welcoming atmosphere. People and relatives told us staff supported them to live meaningful, fulfilling lives.

The home promoted an open, inclusive and welcoming culture where people came first, and their satisfaction was a priority. This encouraged staff to continually strive for good outcomes and contributed to the delivery of high-quality care.

People, staff and relatives all told us there was an open-door policy. Staff felt able to seek guidance and raise concerns without hesitation. When incidents occurred, the service was open and transparent, providing clear explanations to people, relatives and stakeholders. One relative said, “The registered manager is top notch and keeps us well-informed at all times. [Registered manager] is definitely at the top of their game.” Another said, “The registered manager is lovely and 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.

The registered manager and staff we spoke with displayed a passion for the home and for what they were aspiring to achieve high-quality person-centred care. The management team demonstrated an open and transparent management style and were fully engaged with people and staff at the service. A focus on developing and encouraging staff, had resulted in high staff retention rates, which meant people were supported by a consistent, knowledgeable and experienced staff team.

Staff spoke with exceptional warmth and respect about the registered manager and wider management team, describing them as consistently kind, compassionate and supportive. Staff told us leaders were highly approachable and always made time to listen, ensuring staff and people felt heard and valued. Without exception, staff said the registered manager actively fostered a strong sense of belonging across the service, creating an inclusive, supportive culture where both people and staff felt respected, confident and part of a team. One staff member said, “People here are like our extended family. We are like one big family.”

Feedback from people relatives and staff was consistently positive about the registered manager. Everyone we spoke with knew the registered manager and felt they managed the service well and were driving improvements at Dearne Valley Care Centre. One relative said, “ “The registered manager is very helpful and transparent in her dealings with the family. [Deputy Manager] is very good. It’s a good team there.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff morale was positive and staff told us they felt supported and valued. Staff told us they worked effectively as a team. We received positive feedback from staff about the way the service was run. They told us the senior staff were approachable, supportive and proactive at dealing with any issues that arose.

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 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. Processes were in place which helped to protect the rights of staff under the Equality Act. This helped to create a more equitable and inclusive organisation. There was evidence of reasonable adjustments, for staff who required them.

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 fully integrated management structure that proactively monitored the quality of care provided to ensure care was of high quality. The provider had created a learning culture at the service which improved the care people received.

The provider and the registered manager were committed to ensuring, oversight and governance was well-embedded into the service. The leadership team understood their roles and regulatory responsibilities. The leadership were able to tell us how they continuously reviewed their governance and systems to further improve the good high-quality care people received. Arrangements were in place to formally assess, review and monitor the quality of care provided at the home. This included regular audits of accidents and incidents, safeguarding, care plans and medicines. Any required actions were then taken by the provider.

Record of accidents and incidents were completed each time there was an incident, detailing what happened before, during and afterwards, who was there, and any action taken. Each month these were evaluated to look at any themes or trends and assessed to see if any further action needed to be taken.

The provider's policies and procedures were up to date and in line with best practice. They supported staff to deliver care which consistently met the regulatory requirements.

People's personal records were kept secured and confidential. Staff understood the need to respect people's privacy including information held about them in accordance with their human rights.

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 in partnership with other health and social care organisations and agencies. Professional feedback was positive. One health professional told us, “People appear well kempt. Not ever had to report anything. The deputy manager is always very helpful when I have been in.”

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 registered manager actively sought peoples and their representative views, by sending out surveys and holding regular meetings at the service. Staff meetings took place to review the quality of the service provided and to identify where improvements could be made.

There were quality assurance systems in place to monitor the quality and the safety of the service provided. Lessons were continuously learnt where incidents had occurred.

Staff spoke highly of the management team’s commitment to continuous improvement and their shared vision of enhancing people’s quality of life. It was evident staff were extremely proud to work for the service and felt valued, appreciated, and enthusiastic about their roles. One staff member said, “Since coming here [registered manager] has made a massive change to the home for the better, [registered manager] is lovely and supportive. Always there for advice, [registered manager] is fantastic. I have never worked for a better manager.”