Wheldale Heights

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. 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 82 (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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The culture at the service was positive, open and driven by a strong commitment to continuous improvement. The registered manager provided strong leadership, fostering active engagement, an understanding of people’s needs, and a focus on developing the service. Staff worked together as a motivated team to deliver high quality, person‑centred care for people with complex physical and mental health needs. One relative told us, “[Name] has been in 6 or 7 care homes before here. This place is great. I have nothing but praise for [staff]. I would absolutely recommend here in a heartbeat.”

The provider’s values were clearly embedded throughout the service and were consistently demonstrated in staff practice. Staff felt appreciated and recognised, with a well-established awards scheme celebrating those who reflected the shared values, went the extra mile and delivered high quality care and support. The large number of staff nominations for this scheme reflected a culture of enthusiasm, pride and collective commitment to people and overall service improvement.

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.

The registered manager demonstrated great skill, knowledge and unwavering integrity. They brought passion to their role and championed an inclusive culture where people, relatives and staff felt valued. The clinical nurse manager mirrored this inclusive ethos, showing a strong understanding of the needs of people and the wider staff team. Together, they formed a highly effective leadership partnership, working seamlessly to drive a positive, empowering culture that supported high quality care delivery. People and relatives consistently told us the service was well run and organised.

The registered manager led by example, creating an environment where staff felt safe, supported and respected. An initiative known as “I’ve been there, buddies” highlighted this approach; staff voluntarily shared their lived experiences and offered support to colleagues dealing with similar challenges. This willingness to be open about sensitive personal experiences demonstrated a strong culture of psychological safety, trust and compassion across the service.

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

Staff felt able to speak up and discuss concerns and ideas with the registered manager. They felt their concerns would be listened to. Staff meetings were regularly held giving staff the opportunity to share ideas and raise concerns. In addition, the registered manager held listening sessions which provided another opportunity for staff speak up. The registered manager implemented action plans and monitored progress following staff meetings and the receipt of any feedback, to support improvements.

Information was readily available throughout the service encouraging people, relatives and staff to give feedback or raise concerns internally and with external agencies, such as the Local Authority and CQC.

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 employed a diverse workforce from varying backgrounds and cultures. Cultural backgrounds were celebrated at the service. For example, an event highlighting African heritage invited staff to wear traditional clothing and share food, helping to promote understanding and appreciation amongst the team. Staff felt they were treated equally and spoke positively about their role and employment at the service. Feedback included, “I find it very rewarding working here. I enjoy supporting the residents and making things better for them. There is a fair culture, respect is there” and “I love working here, the residents, managers and staff are great.”

Flexible working was supported and reasonable adjustments were made when needed.

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.

Quality assurance systems and processes were effective in driving service improvement. Regular audits and quality assurance checks were completed, with clear action plans implemented wherever concerns were identified. The registered manager closely tracked progress to ensure actions were completed and compliance achieved. They maintained robust oversight of the service and communicated effectively with the staff team and provider level leaders. The registered manager also prioritised effective information sharing within the team and with partner agencies, supporting ongoing service development.

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 registered manager worked collaboratively with other agencies, sharing accurate information in a timely manner to support good care and learning. The registered manager told us, “It is our duty to protect our residents and tell the CQC and Local Authority when things have gone wrong. We encourage a healthy culture here. We don’t hide anything.”

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.

There was an embedded culture of learning and continuous improvement at the service. Lessons learnt were appropriately identified and shared amongst the team to support improvement. The registered manager ensured ongoing communication with the staff team, providing regular verbal and written updates in relation to lessons learnt.