Homewood Care Home

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.

There was a strong culture of team working and providing person-centred care and support. Staff told us how much they liked working at the service and said they loved making sure people had good quality care and were happy. The feeling of the home was warm and welcoming; staff spent time with people and knew people as individuals. We saw staff effectively communicating with each other.

Feedback from people and those closest to them was positive. Managers and staff understood their individual needs and were open and supportive. The registered manager told us, “Homewood is built on strong relationships between staff, residents and families and this has always been our greatest strength.”

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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

We observed the management team worked closely and effectively together. Discussions with the registered manager, deputy manager and team leader all demonstrated a clear understanding of their roles, and a passion for improving the lives of people. Staff told us that the management team were supportive and will always offer help, support and assistance when required.

We received feedback from the provider’s learning and development officer who told us, “The management team role model support with the people who live there and are very visible, this is so important for good, consistent person-centred support. They are also very supportive to team members.”

An external social care professional told us, “I have had numerous interactions with (deputy manager). His enthusiasm and passion, not only for the residents in his care but also for the home, are clearly evident and commendable. This positive leadership approach appears to be reflected across the wider team at Homewood.”

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

There were systems and processes in place to encourage and respond to feedback from people using the service, staff and external stakeholders. The registered manager and staff promoted an atmosphere where people felt able to speak up.

Staff were confident about expressing themselves and raising any concerns to the management team. Team meetings were used to share ideas and suggestions as well as learning from any concerns or incidents.

Relatives told us they felt able to speak up and were able to contact the registered manager if needed. They told us they had never had to raise concerns or make a complaint, but they felt they would be listened to if they were not happy. People’s relatives were regularly contacted and were happy with the level of contact they had with the service. People had monthly meetings with their keyworker. Staff were responsive to people’s needs; we saw staff take immediate action to resolve the issue when a person became distressed.

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.

There was a diverse workforce employed. Staff told us they were all treated fairly, and they had not witnessed any harassment or discrimination.

The registered manager had proactively requested a discussion with the provider’s learning and development team about how best to support a new member of the team.

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 completed robust audits frequently, an action plan from the audits was established with the person responsible, timeline and progress documented. Staff had a clear understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities.

Since coming into post, the registered manager had worked with the staff team to develop stronger oversight of the data gathered through audits, taking time to look for themes, trends and learning rather than focusing solely on compliance. This had improved the ability of the service to identify risks early, measure progress and make informed decisions that improve outcomes for people. The registered manager told us, “As a team, we are strengthening care plans, so they truly reflect the "how" of supporting each person - the little tips, approaches and reassurance techniques developed over years of experience that help people feel safe, calm and understood. This is a shared piece of work, drawing on the knowledge of long-standing staff and ensuring that good practice is not lost, but embedded and sustained for the future.” We saw evidence of this in people’s care and support records.

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.

Records showed the service worked closely with external health and social care agencies. For example, the service had weekly calls with the local GP to discuss any concerns or health queries. Staff also contacted the surgery outside of scheduled calls if they had any urgent requests. We received positive feedback from health and social care professionals, who confirmed the service provided safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care.

People had access to all the community facilities, including local pubs and shops, and were encouraged to try new experiences. For example, a person who enjoyed horse riding was supported to attend the local riding centre once a week. Another person had been introduced to attending the local gym.

Through links with the local community, the service had recently received a donation to purchase sensory equipment for the home.

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 was responsive to feedback from people, relatives and staff and implemented improvements. Lessons were learnt following events, and this was shared with the team. Ways of working had been improved to ensure people lived fulfilled lives.

We saw evidence of a strong commitment to improving outcomes for people. For example, since the last inspection, the home environment had been improved with brighter colours and thoughtful use of spaces to maximise people’s comfort and enjoyment of their home. This had been done in consultation with people.

We heard from the registered manager and staff and saw records of plans and actions to improve care and support planning. The registered manager told us, “We recognise that residents are the experts in their own lives. Their voices, preferences and lived experiences shape both care planning and service development. By involving residents, families and staff together, care plans and governance processes become grounded in real experience rather than assumptions.”

The provider’s learning and development officer told us, “When I think of Homewood, I always think of a team who want to drive forward change to improve the quality of life for the people who live there. They have a manager in place who will lead this forward.”