Earsdon Grange 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. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 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 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 provider had created a strong shared purpose across the home which all staff were aligned to. The culture was centred on the care of people based on kindness, compassion and the determination to make a difference to people’s quality of life and deliver positive outcomes.

There was an openness and “a family” approach which ensured dignity, respect, rights and individuality were central. The values promoted by leaders were consistently reflected in day-to-day practice and recognised by people, their relatives and visiting healthcare professionals and partners.

We observed staff living the culture and the values in their care interactions through engagement with people and the way they conducted themselves with visitors. Staff and people were happy, relaxed, and all care observations were warm, respectful and positive.

Staff loved their job and had pride in their working standards. Staff got pleasure from seeing people achieve positive outcomes with their care and support. There were mutual caring relationships between people and a strength in wellbeing, inclusion and togetherness.

Staff embraced the principles of person-centred, and person led care, which was visible in care records, their interactions and in how they tailored their approach to each person.

Staff survey findings were positive and demonstrative of the observed culture. All staff were clear on their role and expectations, “to enrich the lives of people.” Staff described the culture as caring, supportive, inclusive, diverse and rewarding.

Healthcare professionals were consistently confident and positive about the culture of the home, the management of the service and values of the staff who were committed to delivering the best for the people they cared for. One professional told us, “Staff demonstrate a caring and attentive attitude towards residents” and another said, “I am always welcomed.”

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 deputy manager were dedicated and committed to ensuring the highest standards and best outcomes for people. They were supported by other leaders within the organisation. They led by example demonstrating the culture and values, their care and compassion, setting expectations and staff consistently described them as “Fair, approachable and supportive.”

The registered manager had extensive knowledge and experience in the home and used this to provide clear oversight while remaining closely connected to people, relatives and staff. Visiting healthcare professionals were confident about care standards and managerial oversight of the service. One healthcare professional reporting “Management and senior staff know their residents well” and “Are always visible and willing to work toward new goals alongside the district nurse team to achieve the best possible outcome for their residents.”

Staff said they felt the managers “Always listened” and they were confident any concerns were taken seriously and acted upon. Managers demonstrated empathy and compassion, supporting staff wellbeing and modelling the values expected throughout the home. They challenged poor practice when necessary and ensured decisions were informed by what mattered to people.

One relative told us “Proactive communication” was a real positive with another relative commenting that the registered manager “Always takes on board what we say, and we always feel listened to.”

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

Staff had opportunities to hold open, honest and transparent discussions at a variety of meetings such as handovers, huddles, formal meetings and at any time with the registered manager. People and staff were confident their voice was heard and managers took all feedback seriously including whistleblowing matters.

Staff raised no concerns about practices in the home and were passionate about the care and support they provided. Staff stated they would have no hesitation in speaking up if standards slipped or if any person was let down by them.

Staff had access to associated policies and guidance on what to do if they had worries or concerns and needed to escalate matters about any aspect of the home, care standards or staff conduct.

The registered manager took every opportunity to reflect on any concerns received, recognise areas of good practice and identify areas for improvement and involve the staff team in the process.

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 came from a range of cultural backgrounds and said they felt respected and supported. Staff were actively encouraged to share their skills, attributes, experiences and culture to enhance the home environment and outcomes for people.

Policies relating to equality and inclusion were up to date and discussed through induction, at annual refreshers and team meetings. Staff told us the provider supported religious observance and accommodated individual needs, such as prayer time and cultural celebrations.

Cultural celebrations and key dates were discussed with people and brought into the home so everyone could share in the experience if they so desired such as celebratory days, sharing cultural stories and events. This was encouraged to foster respect, celebrate each other, reinforce therapeutic relationships, learn and break down potential stereotypes and societal biases.

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.

The provider and registered manager had good oversight of quality, safety and operational performance. A structured audit programme and meeting schedule was in place, covering risk, care, the environment and outcomes. This information was used to identify areas of good practice, inform actions to facilitate improvements and to share with staff and partners as required.

This information was also discussed with senior operational, quality and compliance colleagues and at manager forums to share best practice and learning. The home also engaged with local authority colleagues in quality performance and contract reviews to evidence good outcomes for people and service sustainability.

Managers used incident reviews, lessons learned forums and regular meetings to monitor and improve practice. Staff supervisions, appraisals and competency checks were well established, and records showed consistent 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 provider maintained effective working relationships with health and social care partners, including GPs, mental health services, district nurses, specialist healthcare professionals and local authority colleagues. These links ensured people had continuity, coordination between services and joined-up care. Professionals told us staff were proactive, responsive and knowledgeable about people which assisted in assessing need and decision making.

The home also played an active role in the local community through visits, intergenerational projects, church involvement and local outings, which improved people’s wellbeing.

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.

Staff described a culture where learning was inherent and they welcomed feedback from people. Managers promoted learning through regular reflective practice, incident reviews, training and joint initiatives.

The service took the opportunity to learn when things did not go well or if something went wrong. There was a no-blame approach and staff were involved in discussing incidents, reflecting, attending debriefs and supporting each other through the process to identify areas for improvement and development.

The service used their governance processes to identify areas for improvement, and actions taken in response to inspection feedback showed managers acted promptly and constructively.

Staff welcomed the use of technology to support better outcomes for people. Staff had benefitted from blended learning approaches as part of their dementia strategy and ambassadorial programme with immersive and interactive experiential learning.