Sagecare (Chesil Lodge)

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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. At our last inspection this key question was rated good. At this assessment the rating remains 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.

The provider had established visions and values for the service, reflected in their statement of purpose. Leadership staff understood the breadth and complexity of needs the service was able to accommodate. When new referrals fell outside the service’s care model, the provider explained to stakeholders why the placement was unsuitable, ensuring decisions protected both the individual and the wider community

Staff described leaders as positive, supportive, and visible within the service. Staff felt motivated and enthusiastic about their roles. They had a good understanding of the provider’s values, the model of care the service promoted and said they were proud to work there. People told us they were happy with the care they received. They said that the support they received from staff complimented their everyday lives and helped to foster a sense of community at the service.

The provider had an internal intranet system, accessible to staff via their mobile phones. Using this system, staff could access policies and procedures relevant to their role. They told us this was helpful as a quick reference whilst working. They said it helped them feel supported and knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. The provider also had an internal social media system. Staff were able to share good news stories and positive outcomes for people using this site. This helped to create an environment where successes working with people were celebrated and shared.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They had submitted statutory notifications as required.

The leadership team had clearly defined roles and responsibilities. There was effective oversight of the service, supported by structured working practices and accountabilities for each senior role. Staff told us leaders were professional, approachable, and positive role models. People gave positive feedback about the leadership and told us senior staff were accessible and actively involved in the day-to-day running of the service.

Senior leaders had good oversight and contributed to both operational and strategic decisions regarding the direction of the service. They understood the service’s strengths and challenges, providing support around quality improvement, regulatory compliance and engagement with people at the service.

The provider invested in developing senior staff through training in leadership, management, and role-specific areas. This included courses on information governance, safeguarding, risk assessment, care planning, and right-to-work checks. Senior staff also had opportunities to gain additional health and social care qualifications relevant to their roles. This helped them develop their knowledge and skills.

The manager had applied to register with CQC as registered manager for the service. This application was in progress at the time of this inspection. The manager demonstrated a good understanding of regulatory responsibilities. Both the manager and staff understood their duty to report concerns to local authorities and CQC where appropriate. Statutory notifications were submitted as required.

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

Staff told us they felt comfortable raising issues with senior staff and were confident their concerns would be addressed. They said they felt listened to and that their feedback was valued.

Policies and procedures on whistleblowing were in place, ensuring staff understood how and to whom they could raise concerns. The provider also offered a confidential reporting system through its intranet, which was accessible to staff. Any whistleblowing concerns raised through this system were handled by an external company. This helped to create a safe and independent space for staff to report issues.

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 had policies and procedures to promote workforce equality and diversity. Staff told us they were treated fairly at work and the provider made reasonable adjustments to meet their individual needs. This included supporting staff with circumstances around health and medical conditions. The provider celebrated the diversity of their workforce. For example, by ensuring significant cultural events and customs were celebrated and respected.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care and support.

The provider had effective governance processes to oversee quality and safety. Senior leaders actively monitored care delivery through live systems that tracked call times, durations, completion of key tasks, and medicines administration. When alerts identified issues, staff took prompt and responsive action to address them. This helped senior staff oversee that care was delivered as planned.

Senior staff conducted additional audits of care plans, care notes, and medicines records. These audits helped to monitor whether current care provisions met people’s needs. Leaders also carried out thematic audits across the service, reviewing incidents, accidents, complaints, compliments and safeguarding concern. They used this information to identify trends and implement improvements both within the service and across the wider provider group.

The provider shared learning and good practice with staff through regular meetings, individual supervisions, and targeted training. An internal training team was available to deliver responsive training when specific concerns or needs were identified. Policies and guidance were developed and maintained by a dedicated team across the provider’s services, ensuring they remained current and reflected best practice.

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 fostered strong connections with the local community. Admission criteria required people to have a link to Winchester, such as previously living in the city or having family nearby. The provider helped maintain these connections by involving people in local events and building relationships with schools, businesses, and churches. These efforts promoted companionship, meaningful activities and occupation. People told us they valued the sense of the community that had been created.

The provider worked in partnership with tenants to give them a voice in how the service operated. They helped establish a tenants’ association that coordinated activities and social events. People told us staff were responsive and flexible in how social support hours were used. The provider collaborated with the association to ensure funded social support hours delivered maximum benefit. Staff actively promoted inclusivity and accessibility, tailoring support for people experiencing social isolation.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation.

The provider’s Head of Quality led best practice reviews in engagement, risk assessment, care planning, and event management. These reviews assessed key areas of practice to identify improvements that positively impacted care delivery and staff support. For example, changes were made to the risk assessment format, staff supervision processes, and systems for tracking and analysing trends in incidents, accidents, and complaints. This systematic approach helped the provider identify areas for improvement and implement changes effectively.

Senior staff held regular meetings to share learning and good practice. For example, a recent meeting focused on strategies to promote positive hospital discharges, drawing on lessons from successful and unsuccessful cases. This supported a culture of shared learning within the team. Staff told us they were kept informed and were consulted about changes. One staff member told us, “We have team meetings, usually 3 times a week but sometimes, for example if someone is coming out of hospital and they had some new equipment we needed training on.”