Oakdene

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 remained good. This meant the management and leadership was consistent. Leaders and the culture they created supported the delivery of 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 registered manager and staff described a vision of the home to support people with complex mental health needs of all ages to have the intensive care and support other services could not offer. They felt they could offer this for people, with a holistic and therapeutic approach, which was person centred and tailored to people’s individual needs. One relative said, “My [relative] is happy here, this is the only home they have settled at.” Another said, “The [registered] manager is really good, we can discuss anything, not just care and they are willing to help.”

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 registered manager had a clear succession plan and upskilled staff within the home to ensure there was always competent managerial oversight. One staff member said, “The registered manager and seniors are fantastic. I sometimes worry about the workload they have but they never fail to support people or staff whenever its needed.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. There was a complaint policy in place, people, relatives and staff told us they knew how to raise a complaint. Staff said the management team and provider listened to them when they reported concerns about the service. Staff were knowledgeable about the whistleblowing policy. One staff member said, “I know the registered manager would deal with any issues I raised, but if I was concerned, they hadn’t for some reason, I know what to do and know the external help I could get.” We found staff were supported in supervisions and meetings to share concerns in their preferred environment.

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. A staff member described the support by the registered manager following a personal emergency that required them to have time off. The staff member said, “There was no questions asked it was just unwavering support. I never felt pressure to return too early, and the [registered manager] checked in on me but on my terms.” Another staff member said, “They support time for personal appointments and things for staff, the registered manager values our health and welfare as much as the residents.”

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. Governance systems identified areas for improvement. For example, incidents such as falls were regularly reviewed to identify any potential ongoing risks for people or within the environment. The provider had also introduced new technology in the home to help with monitoring. For example, staff used walkie talkies to communicate. This meant in periods of crisis or an emergency staff were able to call for assistance and locate each other quickly.

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 and their relatives told us they were involved in planning and reviewing care needs. A professional we spoke with told us, “If there are any issues I get regular updates about people. Action is always immediate and appropriate. They [staff] are always supportive of me and anything I need. I have no concerns at all.’

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation. We found there were effective systems in place which were utilised to drive service improvement. Lessons had been learnt across the whole service since, and we saw evidence these were discussed at staff meetings and within supervisions to ensure improvements were made and embedded. Daily staff meetings took place to ensure any emerging concerns were dealt with without delay. When an incident occurred it was seen as an opportunity for all staff to learn and staff said this was done in a supportive and productive manner which fostered a positive culture where staff were motivated to develop and had a safe environment to do so.