Seven Arches Nursing 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.

The service was previously in breach of legal regulation in relation to good Governance. Improvements were found at this assessment, and the service was no longer in breach of this regulation.

This service scored 68 (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 provider were committed to promoting the provision of person-centred care. We observed a positive and welcoming culture within the service which was driven by the registered manager

Staff were positive about working at the service and shared a clear commitment to improving people’s lives. A member of staff told us, “I feel supported and valued as a team member. My colleagues and management are approachable and always willing to help when needed. I feel comfortable asking questions and sharing concerns, and I receive guidance when I need it. I also feel appreciated for the work I do, which motivates me to do my best.” Another staff member said, “I just like to work here, I love my job and I am excited to come to work every day, my plan is working here up to retirement.”

People and relatives also described the home as welcoming and friendly. A relative told us, “The manager is very helpful. It is a pleasant experience for us to go in and see how they are, really well run.”

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.

People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the registered manager and leadership team. Relatives described the registered manager as approachable, supportive and committed to keeping families informed. A relative told us, “I would definitely recommend the service. I know the manager, they are very approachable. They will ring to keep us updated about [family member’s] care.” Another relative said, “I have no complaints about [registered manager] whatsoever. I am very pleased; we can walk away knowing that we don’t worry about [family member].”

Staff told us they felt well supported and kept informed through regular team meetings, handovers and day-to-day communication. They spoke positively about the leadership team’s willingness to listen and respond to concerns. A staff member told us, “[Registered manager] is very accommodating and helpful even outside of the workplace or working hours they are available if needed. Very good decision making and they work and act as a leader not a boss. A really good role model.”

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

Staff told us they felt comfortable raising concerns, discussing issues and seeking support when needed, and were confident these would be addressed appropriately by the management team.

Staff consistently spoke positively about the leadership and management of the service. They described the registered manager and wider management team as approachable, supportive and responsive to feedback. A staff member told us, “The manager and management team are supportive and approachable. They listen to staff and take their concerns seriously and provide clear guidance, which helps the team work confidently. They have also created a positive and friendly working environment.”

Staff said they were encouraged to share ideas and were kept informed about developments within the service through regular meetings, supervision and day-to-day communication. They felt listened to and reported managers were visible and accessible. This helped to create a culture of openness and trust, where staff felt respected, supported and empowered to contribute to the continued improvement of 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.

Policies and procedures were in place to promote equal opportunities and to ensure any discrimination, harassment or bullying was identified and addressed appropriately. Staff told us they felt included, respected and able to be themselves at work. They were aware of how to raise concerns and were confident these would be taken seriously by the management team.

Staff had undertaken training in equality and diversity, and no concerns were raised about unfairness.

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. However, more work was needed to strengthen records related to risk

A range of audits and quality assurance processes were in place to monitor the quality and safety of care. However, these systems were not always sufficiently robust to identify all the issues identified during the inspections. Although we found no evidence people had been affected, and the management team took prompt action to address the issues identified, the findings demonstrated further improvements were needed to strengthen oversight and ensure monitoring systems consistently identified and addressed risks in a timely manner. Audits did not pick up concerns we found about ensuring updated risk information is clear throughout whole care plan.

The provider told us they planned to introduce an electronic system to improve oversight.

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.

The service had recently been visited by the local quality improvement team, who identified areas where further improvements were required. The registered manager had responded proactively and had already begun implementing an action plan to address the issues raised and strengthen practice across the service.

However, feedback we received was positive and reflected confidence in the leadership and management of the home. A professional told us, “[Named registered manager] is their manager and they are effective with their communication and very approachable. Their office door is always open for everyone. Overall, I feel the service is managed well and staff care about their patients.”

These arrangements demonstrated a commitment to partnership working, openness to external scrutiny, and a willingness to learn and improve in response to feedback.

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.

Systems were in place to ensure learning, updates and best practice guidance were shared with staff through team meetings, handovers, supervisions and ongoing training. This helped staff remain informed and supported consistent care delivery.

The registered manager showed a willingness to learn from feedback, incidents, complaints, audits and external scrutiny. They were open to identifying areas for development and took proactive steps to implement improvements where needed. Where issues were identified, action plans were developed and progress was monitored to support sustained improvement.