Pickworth 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. This is the first assessment for this registered service. This key question has been rated 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 and staff 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 genuine understanding and commitment from everyone that worked at the service that focused on engaging and getting to know people using the service. There was a robust and methodical process of strengthening, empowering and rehabilitating people. A staff member told us the aim of the service was to work with the person to help them become more independent, to support them to understand their conditions, support them to engage with the community, relearn lost skills and learn new skills before in some cases moving back with their families or into their own homes.

Staff worked closely with professional teams and questioned clinical decisions that potentially could impact the quality of a person’s life. Pickworth House staff would risk assess certain activities chosen by people and make adjustments that worked in line with their conditions such as being restricted to enter a certain geographical location.

All staff were open and transparent and were committed to developing a home for people, to improve their quality of life and their outcomes. Staff worked alongside people and were supported to understand any restrictions and potential risks while living in the community. People were provided with easy read copies of this documentation in formats that they could understand.

There was a positive culture within Pickworth House. Through regular documented staff supervisions and by using the anonymous online staff survey tool, staff members were able to share and voice their opinions to the management team on the service and what they felt is or is not working so well. The evidence would be collated by the management team and shared to the staff with actions agreed by the team. Leaders encouraged open discussion about potential risks, including the early signs of a closed culture. They promoted reflection through team meetings, daily handovers, and audits. The culture was one where staff felt safe to raise concerns, and where people’s rights and choices were at the centre of decision-making. Staff made efforts to adapt around individuals, rather than expecting people to fit into set routines.

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 was highly regarded by all people and external teams.

The leadership was values-driven, inclusive and person-centred. They modelled openness, compassion and integrity in both words and actions. Staff described the registered manager as ‘hands on and always accepting. Another staff member said, “Even when things get tough, they are approachable and understanding.” This reflected the trust and connection leaders had built with people and the team.

A monthly governance staff meeting was led by the management team. Action plans from the previous month’s meeting were reviewed with actions documented if they had not been resolved. New concerns and issues were discussed as a team with a new set of actions to be followed and to be reviewed at the next meeting in 4 weeks.

Training was identified as supportive and an effective springboard into management for Pickworth House management team. The provider told us that by individually appointed the role of Deputy manager and assistant manager. Candidates were encouraged to attend a nationally recognised 8-part course for new leaders to give them extracurricular training suitable for their roles. The additional training from these external trainers further strengthened the quality and leadership that could be offered and mirrored at Pickworth House.

Staff were positive and proud about how the service was run and said they received positive support from the management team. Staff feedback was consistently positive, their comments included, “I can ask any of the management anything. They will even respond to messages outside their working hours to support the team. It is refreshing to be able to work in a place and actually be seen as a real person.”

There were systems to support staff, and others, to speak up when they had concerns and a 24 hour on-call service to speak to management in emergencies.

The registered manager stated “I am blessed to be part of the service and to have great leaders within the team that allowed me to take a step back and view the entirety of the service. The service is in a good position, and we can achieve positive outcomes is due to the quality of the leadership team."

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff were supported to have their say and make suggestions for improvements through regular supervision and meetings with the registered manager. Staff understood the whistle-blowing policy and told us how and when they would report any concerns. Staff told us they could always contact and speak with the management team outside their working hours to raise any issues. There were systems in place which encouraged the freedom to speak up such as meetings for people and team meetings for the staff team. One person said, “Staff are always in the building, sit and do activities with us. I know where the manager’s room is, I can always see and find them if I needed any help.”

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 told us they felt supported by the managers, supported in their role and are happy working for 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. There were a diverse range skills and experience within the workforce. The service had an open, inclusive recruitment procedure.

Staff said they were provided with the correct training for them to do their job and any additional training such as provider funded NVQ qualifications if requested. The staff team said that the management team supported their well-being and were able to accommodate almost anything request. Staff were supported to build their confidence with aspects within the service with mentoring and guidance made available such as staff working towards medicine administration awareness training.

Annually the management held a staff awards evening for the team. Staff were awarded for achievements gained throughout the year. The staff gave feedback that they looked forward to the event, felt proud and felt appreciated by the service.

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 staff team undertook a range of audits to assess care quality and safety such as care plans, environmental risk assessments, and staff competency assessments. Audits and governance processes such as the analysis of accidents and incidents, helped ensure the service had an accurate picture of risk to the safety and quality of the service at any one time. The service was continuously reflecting on practices to improve on people’s safety and positive outcomes. For example, the staff team were implementing an update to the electronic medicine dispensing system that would require the second person in the process to electronically sign to state that they have witnessed the action, currently there is no way to guarantee that a second staff member witnessed and co-checked the administration of medicines.

Daily team manager meetings helped plan each day and make sure everyone knew about people’s professional and community appointments, visitors to the home and important updates. Staff teams were updated on information with concerns or changes addressed quickly and actions taken.

Altogether, strong leadership, regular reviews, and good communication helped keep the provider safe, caring, and centred around the people who lived there.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership with others, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. The provider and staff team developed and maintained positive working relationships with services who together managed the risk oversight and care of the people living at Pickworth House. Staff told us they were in regular contact with external teams to provide feedback of care, gain clinical support and share achievements. Feedback from an external professional included, “We have worked collaboratively with Pickworth on providing training to the team on risk behaviours. The manager ensured all the staff attended these sessions and provided a venue for this to take place away from Pickworth, to ensure staff were fully engaged.“

Staff collaborated with health and social care professionals to provide coordinated, responsive care. Regular reviews and joint visits ensured changing needs were quickly addressed, and professional input was used to reduce risks and promote independence.

People were supported to stay connected to their communities through activities that reflected their cultural identities and personal interests. People were regularly involved in meaningful community activities tailored to their preferences, such as visits to places of worship, parks, markets, libraries, and outings to culturally relevant locations. Staff adapted them to maximise engagement and enjoyment, even when individuals had limited understanding of the context, focusing instead on the sensory or social aspects that were meaningful to them. One person had an interest in music and DJ’ing and was supported to secure a position volunteering on a local radio station. They held this position for a year and had the opportunity to be broadcast live on air weekly.

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 contributed to safe, effective practice and research which was demonstrated through their proactive approach to the service. Staff members demonstrated willingness to have a strong focus on providing care and support to individuals who had not had this before.

The provider used a digital system across the entire service to work better, keep track more clearly and to have a clear trail of evidence. Staff used digital alerts to do tasks on time, make fewer mistakes, and quickly respond when people’s needs changed. This helped make sure care was safe, effective, and personal to each person.

Innovation was embedded in daily practice. For example, The Effective Supervision course emphasised the value of supervision, outlined the elements that contribute to successful outcomes, and highlighted best practices within the field. To date, 5 members of the Pickworth House team responsible for delivering supervision have completed this training, with additional staff scheduled to attend forthcoming sessions. The impact of this initiative was evident: supervisors approached their responsibilities with greater confidence, ensuring that the supervisions they provided were both effective and aligned with best practice standards. The service implemented “Tech First aiders”. This 2-part course was attended by the operational director and business administrator to enhance their technological knowledge. This course was attended over 2 separate days in April and May 2025 and gave an opportunity to improve knowledge on various tech programmes and solutions.

The service has also implemented additional training and workshops with aims to improve the service for both staff and people, these included but not limited to, New Leaders and Management Programme, Meaningful Supervisions Workshop, Education and Training Level 3, First Aid Emergency First Aid at Work, Outcomes Star Training, Investigation/Disciplinary Workshop, Developing and Seniors 7-part Course.