Elgar Court 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.

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 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.

All staff were motivated by andproud of the service. Therewere consistently high levels of constructive engagement withpeople and staff from allequality groups. Managersdeveloped their leadership skillsand those of others.
The manager had a clear and forward‑thinking vision for the home, fostering a culture rooted in person‑centred care, enablement and inclusivity. The provider invested in staff development, ensuring teams were well supported and able to access additional training when needed. Opportunities for progression were routinely discussed during supervisions, helping staff grow in their roles and contribute confidently to the home’s ongoing staff development. This inspired staff to excel in their roles and deliver the highest quality of care.

The home’s vision and culture extended beyond the service, with strong links built to promote people’s inclusion and connection with the wider community. Staff invested significant effort into developing these relationships, and one visiting professional commented on the positive impact this had for the people living in the home, “I have been coming to Elgar Court for a year now, I am always welcomed and the home is friendly, attentive and I know that nothing is too much trouble for them. The atmosphere is very calming, and I feel that all residents are treated with the same respect and kindness. I could not speak more highly of the whole team, and it is one of my favourite times of the week”.

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.

There was an open culture within the home. Leaders were consistently visible, positive, compassionate and approachable, and this was reflected in the way staff delivered care. The management team also supported staff and people by working “on the floor” regularly. Their example set a standard of exceptional leadership which aligned closely with the service’s values.

All people told us the registered manager was “very kind” and always “made time for a chat”. Another person shared, “Nothing is ever too much trouble, and the manager was always happy to help”.

There was positive feedback from all staff about the registered manager. Staff told us the registered manager kept them well informed, was highly supportive and approachable, and genuinely cared about the people living in the home.

A manager from another home within the company contacted the inspection team and gave us feedback regarding the registered manager, they said "The manager is instrumental. What they do and how they share leadership techniques and style, they are amazing. They have been supportive and encourage making sure people develop which they did with me, they are brilliant. They supported me at my service giving talks, they are knowledgeable which makes such a difference. I cannot speak highly enough of them.”

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

The management team operated an open‑door policy, meaning people, staff and families could approach them at any time with concerns or suggestions. The provider had clear policies and procedures which encouraged staff to speak up, including guidance on safeguarding and whistleblowing. A dedicated “speak up” champion was also appointed to offer staff additional support in raising any issues directly.

Staff we spoke with during the assessment told us they felt confident they would be listened to if they raised concerns. They also demonstrated a clear understanding of how to report issues, both within the service and to external bodies when needed.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them.

The provider promoted an inclusive working environment by actively supporting equality, diversity and equity for staff. Leaders invested in training, development and fair opportunities, ensuring everyone felt valued, respected and able to progress. Staff were encouraged to share their views, barriers were addressed openly, and policies reinforced a culture where people were treated fairly and supported to thrive in their roles.

Staff told us they felt they were valued and supported by leaders and fellow colleagues. There was a strong sense of teamwork within the staffing team.

The home recently supported a staff member in organising its first Pride Day, an event designed to celebrate inclusion and diversity. The day welcomed members of the local community to join in the celebrations. The staff member told us “being a person who’s identity is important to me and is something that I hold close to my heart. I always found when working in certain places, I wasn’t fully understood or accepted and people either didn’t know how to talk to you or just didn’t like you for the person you are. When I came to Barchester and did my 5-week intensive training I was shocked by how well they do their diversity and equality training. I believe Barchester has one of the best Diversity Training courses and they deliver this very well. I can’t wait to work alongside the inclusion team and Barchester to bring this more into the public eye on what we do and show we are the best at being Inclusive and Supportive”.

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.

Governance was well-embeddedinto the running of the service.There was a strong framework ofaccountability to monitorperformance and risk leadingto the delivery ofdemonstrable qualityimprovements to the service.Leaders and managers see
this as a key responsibility.

The provider had robust systems in place to maintain effective oversight of the home. The manager took pride in demonstrating accountability and showed a thorough understanding of their responsibilities in keeping the people safe. Comprehensive audits were completed weekly and monthly, with clear reviews of any actions required, all structured using the framework SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time specific).

The registered manager had also adapted audit tools to strengthen oversight of accidents and incidents. During the assessment, they showed us how they had updated the documentation to include a lessons‑learnt section, enabling them to identify patterns or themes and reduce or prevent future risks. These findings were then shared with other leaders during the provider’s governance meetings.

The provider used a centralised action plan which brought together actions identified through various audits. This plan was reviewed regularly by the manager and other leaders, demonstrating strong oversight and a well‑established auditing process.

The manager also evidenced detailed contingency plans were in place for emergency situations, and these were reviewed regularly to ensure they remained effective.

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 recognised its responsibility to work collaboratively with external partners, ensuring services were well‑coordinated and seamless for the people living at Elgar Court. Information and learning were shared openly with health and social care professionals, and the team actively engaged in joint working to improve outcomes. This collaborative approach strengthened continuity of care and supported ongoing improvements across the wider system.

One medical professional told us, “There is a senior on each floor of the home, and they are very knowledgeable and available when they are onsite, this is by far the best home in the area that I work with”.

The home had strong connections with the local community, and the registered manager ensured people were fully included in community life. These links helped people build meaningful networks and supported them to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

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.

Accidents, incidents and near misses were consistently reported, investigated and followed by actions to reduce the likelihood of them happening again. Staff were kept updated on lessons learned through daily meetings and team meetings.

Throughout the assessment, it was clear there was a strong focus on enhancing people’s quality of life and continually looking for ways to improve it. Staff were encouraged to explore creative approaches that promoted equality of experience and supported people to live well.