Santhem Care

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 newly 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 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 shared vision and culture focused on providing high-quality, person-centred care, which was understood by staff and embedded into daily practice. The registered manager described the vision as “to provide high quality care to all… everyone is an individual and should be treated as such,” reflecting a strong emphasis on values and individuality. Staff also spoke positively about the culture, highlighting “good communication” and a supportive team approach. Overall, this demonstrated a positive and inclusive culture where staff understood the service’s direction and worked together to deliver care aligned with its values.

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 and experience to lead effectively, acting with integrity, openness and honesty. The registered manager described maintaining regular contact with people, stating they “speak to people all the time… carry out 6 monthly care reviews,” supporting responsive and compassionate leadership. Staff also described a collaborative team culture. However, some feedback indicated opportunities to strengthen consistency in leadership support and engagement, although overall leaders aimed to promote a supportive and person-centred environment.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff described feeling confident to raise concerns, with one stating they were “confident to raise safety issues,” supported by systems such as team meetings and regular communication. There were also clear arrangements in place to encourage openness, including whistleblowing information displayed with direct contact details for the Managing Director, enabling staff to raise concerns or share suggestions about how care could be improved. However, some feedback indicated opportunities to further strengthen consistency in openness and ensure all staff felt confident their views would lead to meaningful change.

The provider promoted equality, diversity and inclusion within the workforce, supporting staff to feel respected and able to contribute to a positive working environment. The registered manager described efforts to celebrate diversity and engage staff through initiatives such as themed events and wider group forums, and the service had an Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) champion to further support this approach.

The provider also shared quarterly EDIB newsletters, celebrating events across the organisation such as Dyslexia Awareness Week, International Men’s Day, Black History Month and Diwali, which helped to raise awareness and promote inclusion. Staff said they were “treated fairly and respectfully” by colleagues and valued teamwork and mutual support. An EDIB team survey in 2026 was also used to gather feedback and strengthen staff culture, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.

The provider had a range of governance, monitoring and auditing processes in place to support the delivery of safe and sustainable care. This included regular audits such as monthly care plan and medicines audits and quarterly IPC audits, which demonstrated consistently positive outcomes, alongside a wider compliance audit. Systems were in place to review incidents and share learning, and oversight was strengthened through monthly clinical lead visits, operational management input and staff development initiatives.

Policies were regularly reviewed and supported by training, feedback systems and access to advice for staff. Overall, these processes provided a structured approach to governance with a clear focus on maintaining quality and supporting ongoing improvement.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people, sharing information and working with external professionals when required. Staff described liaising with healthcare professionals such as GPs and district nurses where needed, and sharing updates within the team to ensure continuity of care. This helped to maintain joined‑up and flexible support, and overall people experienced coordinated care that met their needs when additional services were required to be involved.

The provider had systems in place to support learning, improvement and innovation, using feedback, audits and reviews to identify areas for development. Staff described sharing information through supervisions, meetings and appraisals, which supported reflection and improvements in practice. There was evidence learning was taken from incidents and feedback to inform changes, and staff were encouraged to develop their skills through training opportunities. Overall, the service demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, with opportunities to further strengthen how learning is consistently embedded across all areas.