Thimbleby Court

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 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 service had a clear vision and values, which were understood and shared across the staff team. This was reflected in the consistent, person-centred care people received. There was a strong and well-defined direction for the service, supported by a structured dementia and wellbeing strategy. This provided a clear framework for delivering care that focused on meaningful engagement and improving people’s quality of life.

Staff understood and worked in line with this approach. Training and development supported staff to embed the service’s values into their day-to-day practice, including providing meaningful engagement and responding to people’s emotional and social needs. This ensured a consistent approach across the team.

Leadership was knowledgeable and focused on continuous improvement. Specialist expertise in dementia care informed practice across the service, supporting staff to deliver care that was tailored to people’s individual needs.

The service promoted its vision beyond the home, including through engagement with families, volunteers and the wider community. Relatives told us they were able to share their views and contribute to how the service was run, reflecting an open and inclusive culture. A person told us, “Other good things are residents and family meetings... you can make comments and they implement things. They treat the people here like it is their home. They do carry out what is said. In the last meeting someone suggested getting animals in. They have had animals in.” This supported a shared understanding of the approach to care and strengthened relationships with people important to those living at the service.

The service promoted a clear culture focused on creating a homely and community-based environment. This was reflected in the range of spaces available, including an on-site shop, bistro-style area, pub and a fine dining space used for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. These facilities enabled people to spend time with others, celebrate meaningful events and engage in everyday experiences that reflected normal life. A person told us, “I feel human again in [the bistro area] with my friends coming for coffee.”

This approach demonstrated a shared commitment across the service to ensuring people felt part of a community and able to experience a sense of normality in their everyday lives.

Leaders were experienced and demonstrated a clear commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centred care. Their approach promoted a positive and inclusive culture across the service. Leadership was supported by specialist expertise, including advanced knowledge in dementia care, which informed a structured approach to care and ensured practice remained focused on improving people’s wellbeing and quality of life.

Leaders were visible and approachable. People and relatives spoke positively about their experience of leadership. One person told us, “I like [the registered manager] very much – she’s been so helpful, going over and above, in arranging [how staff support me with my mobility.]” Another person said, “[The registered manager] is so nice and easy to talk to – she says anything at all, come and see me.” A relative told us the registered manager was, “Empathetic and a good manager,” and another person described them as, “A doer and pleasant to talk to.”

Staff also described a positive and open culture where they felt supported, able to speak up and seek guidance when needed. This supported open communication and contributed to a positive working environment.

The service promoted a culture where staff felt able to speak up and raise concerns without fear of negative consequences. Staff told us they felt confident to raise concerns and were supported to do so. They described managers as approachable and responsive, and said they would feel comfortable speaking with senior staff if they had any concerns about people’s safety or the quality of care.

There were clear processes in place to support staff in raising concerns, including safeguarding procedures and whistleblowing policies. Staff demonstrated an understanding of these processes and how to escalate concerns appropriately.

The culture of the service encouraged openness and transparency. Staff described a supportive environment where their views were listened to and taken seriously. This supported early identification of concerns and promoted continuous improvement in care. Leadership reinforced this approach through regular communication and support, ensuring staff understood the importance of speaking up and felt reassured that they would be supported when doing so.

Leaders demonstrated a clear and structured approach to supporting workforce wellbeing, recognising its importance in sustaining high-quality care and a positive organisational culture. A range of systems and initiatives were in place to support staff wellbeing. These included regular wellbeing communications and a wider package of employee benefits.

Leaders promoted a culture where staff wellbeing was openly discussed and supported. Staff described feeling valued and supported by management, and initiatives were in place to encourage peer support and awareness of wellbeing within the team. This supported the delivery of consistent, high-quality care and demonstrated a sustainable approach to workforce wellbeing.

The service had effective governance systems in place to monitor quality, drive improvement and ensure safe and consistent care delivery.

A range of systems were used to oversee performance and identify areas for improvement. This included the use of a governance planner to track key tasks and ensure they were completed within required timeframes. Records were maintained electronically, enabling oversight from senior staff and supporting accountability across the service.

Regular audits were undertaken to monitor quality. This included audits completed by the quality team, with clear action plans developed following each review. Actions were embedded into a service development plan, which was reviewed regularly with the quality team and monitored on an ongoing basis. This ensured improvements were followed through and sustained over time.

Leaders used a range of data to monitor performance, including call bell response times. Where areas for improvement were identified, action plans were implemented to address them. Monitoring showed that response times were within expected levels, demonstrating effective oversight and management of staffing and responsiveness.

Quality monitoring included seeking feedback from people using the service. The quality team spoke with people to understand their lived experience, ensuring governance systems reflected both data and people’s views.

The service worked creatively with volunteers and community groups to provide meaningful engagement opportunities. Volunteers supported activities and spent time with people, helping to build relationships and promote social interaction. Initiatives such as group activities encouraged shared experiences and supported people to remain connected to their community.

Volunteers spent time with people on an individual basis, helping to build genuine relationships and create meaningful opportunities for connection beyond structured activities. These partnerships were inclusive and mutually beneficial, with volunteering opportunities supporting wellbeing while enhancing the experiences of people living at the service.

The service actively engaged with the wider community through educational initiatives, including dementia workshops and awareness sessions for local groups and families. This helped to increase understanding of dementia and supported improved outcomes for people both within the service and in the wider community.

Partnership working also extended to supporting people’s spiritual and emotional needs, with community representatives providing additional support and companionship.

The service demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous learning, improvement and innovation, with systems in place to drive positive change and enhance people’s experiences. This included a structured dementia strategy and training programmes, which supported staff to deliver person-centred care and improve people’s wellbeing and quality of life.

Leaders demonstrated a forward-thinking approach, with ongoing developments to enhance care and respond to people’s changing needs. Plans were in place to introduce new approaches to further strengthen person-centred care. For example, they planned to introduce a structured ‘care companion’ approach, where people would be supported by a named member of staff who would spend dedicated one-to-one time with them on a regular basis. These planned conversations were designed to explore how people were feeling and goals they wished to achieve, as well as ways to improve their day-to-day experience. This ensured people’s views were consistently captured and used to inform care and daily routines.

Another example of the service’s commitment to improvement was the planned introduction of a digital platform to further enhance communication and oversight. This system was designed to support staff to record and share information about people’s daily lives, including activities, engagement and wellbeing, while also enabling families to remain involved through shared updates and communication tools. These developments demonstrated a proactive and innovative approach to embedding person-centred care, strengthening communication with families and using technology to support improved outcomes for people.