Maple View

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 remained requires improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 57 (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 did have a clear shared vision, strategy and culture which was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, and engagement. They understood the challenges and the needs of people and their communities. However, the area of leadership and staff deployment was not always a priority which impacted on consistency of leadership and staff support.

The provider operated several services in close proximity, which resulted in staff being deployed across different locations to meet operational needs. While this approach supported flexibility, it also placed additional demands on staff and management.

The manager had only recently acquired oversight of Maple View and was simultaneously supporting other nearby services. This arrangement had a noticeable impact on service users, staff, and managers, who were striving to maintain consistent support across all locations.

Staff spoke positively about the new manager’s supportive approach but expressed concerns about their limited presence due to responsibilities at multiple sites. One staff member commented, “The management is not always around as they are running numerous homes, which is affecting the staff, seniors, team leaders, and service users.” Another staff member shared, “I feel like I am not supported enough on a shift-to-shift basis as the manager isn’t in the home enough, but I do get a thank you if something is completed and noticed, which goes a long way with me.”

The provider did not always have enough 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. Whilst leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively, their skills were often used in multiple locations.

The interim manager, who was already registered as the manager of another service operated by the provider, had submitted an application to become the registered manager at Maple View. While they demonstrated the capability to oversee both services effectively, it was noted that they were also providing support to an additional location which meant they were overseeing 3 locations. This resulted in their expertise and leadership being stretched across multiple sites, which had an impact on the consistency of support available to people and staff.

Despite these challenges, staff spoke positively about the interim manager’s approach and the support they provided. Most relatives we spoke with were also positive about the new manager, a relative said, “[Manager] is competent and professional.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. However, we did receive concerns from staff related to consistent manager support as recorded in other areas of this report.

A recent concern raised within the service provided an opportunity to observe the interim manager’s responsiveness and commitment to addressing issues seriously and promptly.

Staff ensured that individuals had regular opportunities to express their views and preferences through structured key worker meetings. Records indicated that the service took people’s capacity to understand and make decisions about their care and support seriously. Decision-making processes were documented and discussed across a series of meetings, allowing for a thoughtful and inclusive approach that respected each person’s ability to participate in their own care planning. A relative said, “Yes, we have reviews, and a progress update every month with a newsletter about where [family member] has been, what they have done, with pictures and it’s really nice.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. However, staff did identify concerns about staff being moved around to support other services.

The provider had further work to undertake in promoting workforce equality across its services. Staff reported that changes in staffing were common when other locations required support, which occasionally disrupted continuity within teams. Despite these operational challenges, staff consistently described team morale as positive and supportive.

One staff member stated, “I can’t fault the team on the floor—they are very supportive and hard working.” Another commented, “Staff here are outstanding, and although we don’t need to be managed day-to-day, [the interim manager] is great at keeping us up to date and keeping us informed.” These comments reflected a strong sense of peer support and resilience among the team, even in the context of wider organisational pressures.

The provider did not always have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability or good governance. As noted in previous sections under the Well-Led domain, further work is required to promote long-term sustainability across each of the provider’s services.

The provider had established a range of audit processes to monitor the quality and safety of care delivery. These included audits focused on medicines management, infection prevention and control, and health and safety. The audits were designed to identify areas for improvement and ensure compliance with relevant standards, contributing to the overall governance and oversight of the service. Whilst support plans had been uploaded to an electronic system more work was needed to ensure all information from paper care plans had been uploaded and reviewed. The interim manager had a service improvement plan in place.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate, share information, and work in partnership with health and social care partners, enabling seamless service delivery.

A professional told us, “I had found that the newly appointed Manager (who made a point of contacting me and introducing herself) was approachable and knowledgeable in terms of my service user and their needs.”

The provider did not always focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system.

More work was needed to ensure learning, consistency and improvement across all locations. Consistent staff teams should be developed with effective leadership to avoid the need keep using managers and staff from other locations. Whilst overall Maple View has improved a recent concern has identified more work is required with staff to ensure they understand and follow policies and procedures at the service.