Harlow Hall

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 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. People and their relatives described a positive culture within the home and told us they would or had recommended the provider to others looking for a care home. One person told us, “They just look after us very well. The staff are nice, and the food is good.” Relatives told us, “Everyone seems happy. The staff are happy. [Family member] loves it and if [they] are happy, I’m happy. [family member] has settled in so much quicker that I thought [they] would.” And “It sounds corny, but everything they do, they do well.”

The provider ran a number of initiatives to promote the values of the organisation. This included an award for Employee of the Month. Staff could be nominated for providing care which was above and beyond expectations and met with one of the providers’ core values. The registered manager told us they were committed to creating an open and welcoming culture within the home, “The culture of the home I want is for everyone to feel happy. There will be no bullying or anyone unable to express themselves. I always try to express positivity and for everything to be in the best interest of the person. I think I’ve been a very approachable manager.”

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 were positive about the support and guidance they received from the management team. One staff member told us, “[Registered manager] and [Deputy manager] are very nice. They are there when we need them.” We observed the registered manager spent time speaking with people, relatives and staff and was able to discuss people’s needs and wishes with confidence.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Systems were in place to provide people, relatives and staff with the opportunity to raise any concerns or make requests. These included regular ‘resident and relatives’’ meetings which discussed areas including activities, laundry, plans for specific events and catering. In addition, surveys and drop-in sessions with the registered manager were held where people and relatives were able to share any concerns on an individual basis. Where issues had been raised by relatives these had been actioned where appropriate whilst ensuring people maintained the right to make their own choices. Relatives’ surveys showed 100% of relatives felt their loved ones felt safe, happy and well cared for living at Harlow Hall.

Staff also had the opportunity to speak up through supervisions, surveys and regular staff meetings. Staff told us they felt listened to and felt the manager acted when any issues were raised with them. One staff member told us they had found working in one area of the home difficult. The registered manager had understood their concerns and enabled them to work in a different area. In addition to in-house systems, the Chief Executive Officer offered one to one drop-in sessions for staff to enable them to discuss any ideas, give feedback or discuss any problems in the workplace.

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 told us they felt the management team treated them fairly and that they felt valued in their roles. One staff member told us, “I think the environment here is inclusive, I think the manager encourages inclusiveness and supports those who are not long in this country.” The provider had a flexible working policy in place which enabled staff to request specific work patterns to support their needs.

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 used a range of audits and quality assurance systems to monitor the quality of service people received. Whilst some concerns noted within our inspection relating to medicines had not been identified or rectified following audits, these were addressed immediately following our inspection and changes to systems were made to minimise the risk of these occurring again. Regular audits and checks were completed in areas including care records, people’s mealtime experience, nighttime care, medicines and infection control. Where issues had been identified, action plans were implemented to address the concerns and action was taken. For example, where concerns had arisen regarding some medicines’ stock availability, the service had worked alongside the GP and pharmacy to change ordering dates and minimise risks of people being without their medicines.

In addition to the provider completing audits, an external company was also employed to complete a review of systems in place and provide recommendations going forward.

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 was committed to working in partnership with people and organisations within the local community. They offered a range of events ranging from social activities open to all including cinema clubs and entertainment afternoons through to more informative talks such as opportunities to meet with Citizen’s Advice, financial and legal planning for the future. In addition, the service supported dementia cafés in the local area to ensure people had access to support, advice and the opportunity to socialise.

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. The registered manager told us they had made changes as the service had evolved. They told us they understood the importance of balancing the number of people moving in with new staff starting their employment and had developed assessment processes to ensure they focussed on what they could do well. Support for the service was provided by the regional management team and quality team who spent time working alongside the registered manager to develop and embed systems as the home was relatively new to the area. An overall action plan had been developed to monitor improvements made and actions required.