Bennett 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 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 it changed provider in September 2023. 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.

Staff spoke positively about the leadership team and told us they felt valued, respected and supported in their roles. They described being able to raise concerns, share ideas and contribute to service development. A member of staff said, “I can go to [registered manager] with anything, and they will always do their best to sort any issues.” Regular meetings, supervision and communication processes helped ensure staff were informed and engaged. A member of staff told us, “I have regular supervisions and feel really supported.”
 

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.

Staff spoke positively about the management team and told us they felt supported in their roles, which contributed to a more positive working environment. A relative told us about when their loved one moved to the home and the support they received. They said, “[Registered manager] was very good with me I’m an only child and it was such a difficult decision. I was crying a lot, and they were all very supportive. I can’t complain at all.” The registered manager was knowledgeable about issues and priorities for the service. They understood their responsibilities and were supported by the provider enabling them to deliver good and effective care.
 

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

People, their relatives and staff were provided with opportunities to give feedback about the service. For example, through meetings and surveys. A relative told us, “I do like the regular phone calls I get where I am asked if have any concerns etc with [relative] and their care. I think that makes it much easier to bring anything up.” At a recent residents meeting, people had been encouraged to share ideas for planned improvements for the garden, the provision of activities and meals. We saw action had been taken or was in the process of being taken based on their feedback. For example, more quizzes had been included in the activity programme, and an increased menu choice had been included at breakfast time. Staff were aware of and understood the provider’s policy on whistleblowing. Whistleblowing is a law that protects staff from being treated unfairly by their employer if they have raised genuine concerns about a person’s care.
 

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 service promoted a fair and inclusive working environment through the delivery of training and inclusive practices. An example of this was the provision of coloured overlay cards to assist staff with dyslexia. Staff told us they felt treated equally and had not witnessed discrimination. The culture of the service was continuously reviewed through regular meetings, supervisions and feedback surveys.
 

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 management and staff structure where staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and put these into practice. A health care professional told us, “The service appears appropriately led with a clear structure in place,” The provider ensured they had a good oversight of the service through their senior management team who monitored and supported the service. There were audits and checks in place which were effective in identifying shortfalls and driving improvements.
 

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 were supported to access external professional services as needed. Staff and relatives told us there was good communication with external health and social care professionals which helped maintain and enhance the quality of people’s lives. Staff recorded information about people’s contact with professionals and care plans were updated to reflect any recommendations made. A health care professional told us, “This is a positive and professional service with a clear commitment to providing good quality care. Historically, the working relationship was more challenging, but in more recent years this has improved significantly and is now more collaborative and constructive. Strengths include wanting an improved partnership working. Continued focus on consistency, communication, and governance would support further development.”
 

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.

There were systems in place to learn from accidents and incidents. Staff told us if things went wrong, the issues were discussed during team meetings and individual support and supervisions. Staff told us their views and ideas were encouraged and listened to. The service promoted learning and development to all staff and ensured they were kept up to date with all relevant changes.