Elmdale House

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 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 positive culture of support in the care home which focused on person-centred care and support. The registered manager was clear in their understanding of the organisational values and led by example and expectation.

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 and the management team were knowledgeable about the service and people who were supported. Leaders were inclusive and members of staff were well supported. A member of staff told us, “[The registered manager] has been so patient and supportive with me. They know I might understand information differently than others due to my literal thinking pattern and struggle in certain areas and get overwhelmed when there's a lot of things at once. [The management team] are all patient with me and help brainstorm with me things we can do (including them, not just me) to help me with things I struggle with. They're very good. Also, staff are listened to here! I've not had that in a job before! They take what we say on board and make improvements.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Members of staff were supported to speak up if they had any concerns about the service. There was a whistle-blowing policy in the employee handbook which outlined the process the provider would follow when staff spoke up and raised concerns.

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 and the management team valued and supported diversity in the service. No concerns or issues in relation to diversity or inclusion were raised during the inspection of the service.

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. There was a clear governance process in place and the registered manager reviewed and audited all aspects of the care home including medication administration processes, accidents and incidents and health outcomes for people. The provider carried out regular checks and reviews of the service to ensure there was a consistent level of quality and people’s needs were being met appropriately.

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. There were good links with local community-based activities and services. Members of staff knew the local area and where able to support people to access local clubs and activities. Professional partnerships were in place with health, care and education providers. Feedback from local professionals was positive. One professional told us, “My experience working with [the registered manager] and the staff at Elmdale House has been fantastic and this is a placement I feel are working extremely hard to support people. [The registered manager] and the team have a robust understanding of the people’s needs and have adapted their approach in caring to meet these needs. There have been complex safeguarding issues and high levels of risk at times and the team have worked alongside social care and other multiagency professionals brilliantly. [The registered manager] attends every meeting and has played an integral part in care pathway planning for this people. [The registered manager] has advocated for people and supported them in moments of crisis.”

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 supported the service to be a learning organisation and invested in extensive training and support for members of staff. The provider and registered manager had reflected on previous inspections of services in their provider group and identified lessons learned and developments which had been implemented to ensure continuous service improvements.