Bracknell Care 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.

This is the first assessment for this service since registration. This key question has been rated good.

This service scored 79 (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 had created a strong ethos within the home with people, staff and professionals describing it as homely and like a family. The registered manager told us, “Kindness is the ethos of our home. I feel very strongly that kindness and compassion for residents and staff is how a home functions. I will always promote a culture where people can speak, and know they’ll be heard.”

Trusting relationships had developed between people and staff and it was clear people felt comfortable chatting and sharing stories. This created a relaxed and homely environment where people told us they could be themselves. One person told us, “I can’t imagine being anywhere else. It’s home now.” A staff member told us, “The best thing here is it’s more like a family. It’s quite small so we have chance to develop the relationship with residents and we [staff] get on well. The teamwork is perfect.” This culture was demonstrated by people, staff and families sharing significant celebrations such as holding a party to enable one person to celebrate a relative’s 50th birthday and holding a baby shower for a staff member going on maternity leave.

The relationships which had been built with professionals, other registered managers and within the community meant the home continued to develop and understanding of the needs within the local area and how they could support this.

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.

People described the positive impact the registered manager had on the way they felt about their home and their views being listened to. One person told us, “[Registered manager] is wonderful, she listens to just about everything. Without people like her, this place would not run as well as it does.” Another person said, “The manager is very much approachable. She always says hello when she sees us, never too busy or walks on by. When something needs doing, she gets it done. She is receptive.”

There was universal regard for the registered manager’s commitment to creating an inclusive, homely and compassionate environment for everyone involved in Bracknell Care Home. One professional told us, “Things are good here and keep improving. The [registered manager] is the driving force but has developed a committed team. They communicate well and we have confidence in them.” One staff member told us, “The environment is so nice to walk into, so friendly and welcoming. [Registered manager] is the one who leads it and she looks after us all so well. When the manager’s not here we miss her, she treats us all like a family.”

The registered manager showed great commitment to developing a consistent team whose skills and drive to provide people with good care were recognised and appreciated. One staff member told us, “I love the owner and [registered manager] handpicks the team. It’s the best manager and team we have ever had. [Registered manager] is very good with the staff and residents; she knows everything about the staff residents; she’s just really interested in everyone.”

The management team, including the clinical deputy manager were visible and accessible to people and staff. They were exceptionally open and honest in all aspects of their management and approach, this was appreciated by staff, people and their relatives. They had detailed knowledge of the needs of both the people they cared for and staff members. Staff told us this created a calming influence and encouraged an openness throughout the home.

The registered manager told us they felt supported in their role and felt reassured by the skills and experience of the provider. They told us, “I have autonomy and their trust to manage the home, but I know there is always someone there for support.” A quality assurance manager for the provider supported the home well with regular visits and providing cover for the registered manager when on leave. They knew people and staff, the ethos of the home, and the day to day running of the service. This meant they were able to provide tailored support to the registered manager and service as a whole to encourage continuous development.

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

People told us they attended regular residents’ meetings and found them useful. People felt that where changes were requested this was listened to. For example, people had requested that lunch be served earlier as the gap between breakfast and lunch was too long for some people. One person told us, “Any issues can be raised, the minutes are taken, it’s all run properly. The lunchtime meal service has been changed from 1pm to 12:30pm (at the request of residents). It has made a big difference, and I think most people are happy about it.” For those who found it difficult to attend the meetings a ‘resident spokesperson’ had been appointed who spoke to people prior to the meeting so their views could be represented.

Regular staff meetings were also held to enable staff to share their views. A central focus of meetings was promoting an open culture where staff were able to share ideas and raise concerns. The registered manager told us, “We speak about whistleblowing and speaking up a lot. Being open is a big focus for all of us.”

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 told us they felt they were treated fairly and their diverse needs were respected. One staff member told us, “We are all from different countries, but the manager is always behind us and encouraging. Everyone is the same here and we are all equal.” A second staff member told us, “Like a family, we are all interested in each other. It doesn’t matter what country you are from to work here; it’s the kindness to everyone that counts.”

Systems were in place to ensure the needs of staff were respected such as working flexibly to allow staff members from overseas to take extended holidays. The registered manager told us, “We respect religious festivals, we learn and all celebrate together.”

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.

Robust governance systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service people received. In addition to audits completed by the management team, regular, detailed mock inspection visits were completed using resources available to the provider. These supported the registered manager in identifying areas of good practice and areas where improvements could be made. Action plans were developed as a result of monitoring processes with target dates set for implementation.

The registered manager, quality assurance manager and provider met regularly to discuss on-going plans for the service, significant events, celebrations and any additional support required. The registered manager told us this provided a focus to monitor how the service was progressing and meant priorities for actions could be agreed.

The provider demonstrated continued investment in the service. This included looking at ways to make the service more environmentally sustainable such as fitting solar panels, charging facilities and changing the water tank to increase efficiency. In addition, there was a rolling programme of redecoration which took into account the need to ensure the environment was supportive of those living with dementia.

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 religious views were respected and support sought from local churches and groups to visit people. This included a local choir who came to sing for people. Where people were cared for in bed staff ensured they could still be involved by arranging visits to their room for their favourite song to be sung for them. The registered manager shared that the visits brought comfort, familiarity and connection for people.

Pupils from the local school were welcomed to read to people on a regular basis. Feedback of these visits showed people found them joyful and uplifting. This also supported children in developing their understanding with one child sharing how they enjoyed the experience, “I love coming to read because everyone is so kind and it feels really happy here.”

The registered manager told us that a key highlight through the year was the summer barbeque with people, relatives, staff and members of the wider community were invited to celebrate together. The registered manager told us, “With shared food, music, and activities, the day creates a strong sense of belonging and connection. It is a much-anticipated event that is spoken about long after it has taken place.”

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 and registered manager ensured systems were in place to continually improve the service people received. A continuous improvement plan was in place which included actions identified from audits, environmental assessments and feedback from people relatives and staff. The plan was regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the progress made and check systems were being fully embedded into practice.

The provider told us they were keen to take up opportunities to be involved in any research or monitoring projects. The service was currently taking part in a study being run jointly between a charity and local university. The study aimed to understand whether a dog assisted activity could benefit the thinking, mood and quality of life of people living with dementia.