Hunter's Lodge

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 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.

The provider aimed to deliver professional care within a warm and homely atmosphere. Throughout the inspection, the home was observed to be welcoming and comfortable, and this was consistently reflected in the feedback we mostly received from people and relatives. People were supported to maintain their independence and dignity, with people having a key to their bedroom to enable them to lock their door should they wish, just as they would in their own home. Staff spoke positively about working for the service and described a good team ethos, reflecting a supportive and cohesive working culture.

The provider demonstrated a clear commitment to placing people, their choices and their well-being at the heart of the service. This values-led approach was evident in the ethos of the staff team and the positive culture observed throughout the inspection. The provider recognised the importance of meaningful activity provisions; this included links with external agencies to ensure people were supported to live as fully and meaningfully as possible.

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.

Staff told us they felt well supported by the management team and described leaders as approachable, responsive and consistently present. One staff member told us, “The manager and leaders support people on the floor; if someone needs the toilet they will help - They are supportive.” And a relative told us, “I’m impressed with the manager because they don’t just sit in the office.” This active presence on the floor reinforced a positive working culture where staff felt listened to, valued and confident raising concerns. This sense of support from staff, who described a collaborative and cohesive team environment.

Feedback from relatives about the management team was consistently positive. Relatives spoke warmly about their interactions with the registered manager, with one commenting, “The manager is lovely, [name] knows all the residents and will talk to everyone.” Another relative said, “The management are brilliant, they’re so supportive,” while a third added, “It isn’t just the management, it’s every single one of the staff who are brilliant.”

External partners told us the home was well-organised and effectively managed, supporting consistent and coordinated care. People living at the service know who the registered manager was, demonstrating leadership was genuinely visible and accessible. Throughout the inspection, leaders were observed engaging with people in a kind, respectful and caring manner, reinforcing the open, inclusive and compassionate culture was embedded throughout the home.

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

Staff told us they felt listened to and confident when speaking up if they had concerns or suggestions and described the management team as approachable and responsive. A whistleblowing policy was in place and accessible to staff, providing clear guidance on how concerns could be raised safely. Regular staff meetings were held with clear records maintained, provided structure and opportunities for staff to share their views, raise issues and contribute to the development of the service. Multiple routes were available for people, relatives and staff to provide feedback, including formal processes for compliments and complaints. This demonstrated an open and transparent culture and welcomed feedback, supporting continuous improvements across 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.

Staff had access to a range of channels through which they could share their ideas. Views and concerns, including regular supervision, team meetings and information conversations with leaders. Staff told us they felt valued and respected within their roles and were supported through personal growth through access to training. There was no evidence of discrimination identified during the inspection. The provider had created an inclusive working environment where staff were individually recognised.

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 range of audits in place which were regularly completed, and the registered manager demonstrated a good overall oversight of the service. However, ABC (Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequences) charts had not been included as part of the audit process, which meant incomplete recording within these charts had not been identified or addressed through the usual governance framework. Additionally, whilst were reviewed regularly, audits had not identified inconsistencies in recording, with some information found duplicated or conflicting cross care plan sections. This had the potential to impact staff understanding and the consistency of care delivered. Whilst these were isolated gap in the audit process rather than a widespread concern, it limited the provider’s ability to fully assure themselves that records were being completed consistently to the required standard. Both findings were raised with the registered manager during the inspection, who responded openly and took immediate action to address this.

Feedback from external stakeholders about the provider was positive, reflecting confidence in the management and leadership of the service

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’s care and support plans demonstrated referrals to appropriate healthcare professionals were made in a timely way when people’s needs changed or when specialist input was required. This included referrals to GPs, district nurses, community mental health teams, ensuring people's individual health needs were responded to promptly and effectively.

The provider maintained effective relationships with a range of stakeholders within the local community, working collaboratively to support people’s care, well-being and quality of life. These partnerships helped to ensure continuity of care and contributed to positive outcomes for people living at the service.

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 provider had systems in place to support continuous learning and service improvement. Observational assessments were carried out to help review practice and identify opportunities to enhance people’s experiences and outcomes. The leadership team was proactive in responding to identified issues and implementing improvements.

Effective systems were in place to learn from accidents, incidents, safeguarding, concerns, complaints and situations where things had not gone as planned. Learning from evidence was shared with staff, ensuring staff were kept informed of any changes. This approach supported a culture of reflective learning and continuous improvement across the service.