Chimnies Residential 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 71 (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.

Staff told us they were encouraged to contribute ideas and share feedback through regular staff meetings and ongoing discussions with leaders. Staff described a positive culture where communication was open, and they felt valued and involved in developing the service. One staff member told us, “It's a good service and I think the carers give 100% every shift.”

Staff spoke positively about the care they provide to people. They told us they promoted people's dignity, respect and choice. These values were embedded through induction, training and day-to-day practice. We observed staff treating people with kindness and respect, involving them in decisions about their care and supporting them to make choices about their daily lives. Staff also interacted positively with relatives and visiting professionals, demonstrating a culture of partnership working to achieve positive outcomes for people.

Leaders promoted an inclusive culture based on teamwork, openness and continuous improvement. Staff told us they were recognised for their contributions and had opportunities to raise suggestions, discuss challenges and influence changes within the service.

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 provider had visible and supportive leadership within the service. The registered manager and team leaders worked alongside staff, providing guidance, oversight and support to help ensure people received safe and person-centred care.

Staff spoke positively about the leadership team and told us they felt supported in their roles. One staff member said, “You can go to anyone there. They’re amazing.” Another told us, “Always interested in me and the staff in our family life.” Staff described leaders as approachable and said they felt comfortable seeking advice and raising concerns.

We observed leaders regularly engaging with people, relatives and staff throughout the assessment.

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

The provider promoted an open culture where staff felt able to speak up and raise concerns. A whistleblowing policy was in place and displayed throughout the home. Staff understood the whistleblowing process and told us they would feel confident raising concerns about people's safety or the quality of care.

Staff told us they felt listened to and were comfortable challenging practice when necessary.

The provider was visible within the home and maintained regular contact with staff, people and visitors.

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 promoted an inclusive and supportive culture where staff were valued and treated fairly. Staff told us leaders were responsive to their individual circumstances and provided support when needed. One staff member told us they had received significant support from leaders during a difficult personal period and felt welcomed and supported when returning to work. They described the management team as “very, very good, very supportive.”

Staff told us managers were flexible and worked with them to accommodate their personal commitments where possible, including supporting staff and adjusting working patterns. Staff described positive working relationships with colleagues and told us they respected one another and worked together to resolve concerns within the team.

The provider encouraged an open and inclusive culture where staff felt listened to and supported.

The provider had governance systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. However, governance systems were not always effective.We found shortfalls in the recording of care delivered. Daily care notes did not always provide clear evidence of the care provided, and records relating to repositioning were not always easy to locate. This made it difficult to gain assurance that all aspects of people's care had been consistently recorded and monitored.

The provider had identified some areas for improvement and continued to monitor the quality of the service. However, further work was needed to ensure records were complete, accurate and provided clear oversight of people's care and support.Surveys, audits, staff meetings and care reviews were used to gather feedback and monitor people's experiences. A recent survey showed people were happy and content living at the home.

Staff meetings were used to discuss people's needs, care plans, risks and any changes in health and wellbeing. This included monitoring people at risk of weight loss, pressure damage, constipation and deterioration in health to ensure appropriate action was taken. Weekly medicines audits were also completed to identify and address any issues 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.

People benefitted from visits by community groups and religious organisations, which supported their social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. People, relatives and members of the local community were encouraged to be involved in the service through monthly relatives' coffee mornings and community events, including Macmillan coffee mornings.

The provider had developed links with local schools, churches and community groups to support people to remain connected with their local community. These partnerships provided opportunities for social interaction, activities and meaningful engagement based on people's interests, preferences and wishes.

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.

A service improvement plan was in place which identified key priorities and actions to enhance the quality of care, people's safety, staff development and the experiences of people living at the home.

The improvement plan included clear actions, identified responsibilities and measures to monitor progress. Leaders reviewed the plan regularly to ensure actions were completed and improvements were embedded into practice. Learning from incidents, audits, feedback and quality monitoring activities was used to identify areas for development and drive improvements across the service.

Staff were involved in improvement initiatives through meetings, supervision and ongoing discussions. This helped ensure learning was shared and good practice was promoted and staff contributed to improving outcomes for people.