Stonecroft

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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The culture of the service ensured the provision of support was bespoke and truly person centred. The management team and staff were very committed to providing person centred care which ensured people received the best possible outcomes they could achieve. Staff were proud of the ethos where everyone who walked through the door was valued from staff to people, visitors and professionals. They felt this was how the service succeeded. Managers were clear about their roles and were passionate about the support and leadership of the service which was centred around and involved people who used the service.

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.

The registered manager and leadership team embedded a strong person-centred culture across the service. Staff demonstrated a clear commitment to these values and told us managers led by example, promoted compassionate care and inspired staff to achieve positive outcomes for people. One professional said, “My experience is the leadership team encourage the team to be engaged with any relevant workshops we provide. Leaders are present and fully familiar with the needs of the people who live there.”

We found a welcoming, open and positive culture throughout the service, which the registered manager actively promoted and maintained. Staff consistently described the service as having a good atmosphere and told us they enjoyed their roles. They spoke positively about the registered manager, describing them as approachable, supportive and accessible.

We observed an inclusive culture where staff understood their roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability. Staff described themselves as part of a cohesive team and told us they felt valued, listened to and able to contribute ideas and feedback. They said communication was effective and managers kept them informed about changes and developments within the service.

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

Staff spoke well of the registered manager and deputy saying they felt supported. They also spoke highly of their colleagues. They had staff meetings which were conducted openly and encouraged feedback. Staff told us they felt at ease to speak with the management team and felt listened to. We observed that there was a system in place to support staff to speak up and raise concerns relating to the care of people and the running of the service. One staff member said, “The management team have an open door, you can always bring ideas and they listen to them and appreciate and value them.”

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.

Leaders demonstrated a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. They promoted a culture that valued individuality and respected people's diverse backgrounds, beliefs and protected characteristics. The provider maintained a clear zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and ensured staff understood their responsibilities through training and ongoing support.

Staff recognised the importance of promoting equality and knew how to identify and respond to concerns relating to discrimination, bullying or harassment. Governance systems enabled the provider and registered manager to maintain effective oversight of staff wellbeing and workplace culture, helping to identify and address any concerns promptly.

Leaders engaged regularly with staff through supervision, wellbeing discussions and team meetings, creating opportunities for open dialogue, reflection and support. The provider promoted an open-door approach where staff felt listened to, respected and confident to raise concerns. This contributed to a positive and inclusive working environment characterised by openness, accountability and mutual respect.

Staff retention was good and reflected the positive culture within the service. Staff told us they felt valued and supported by leaders and benefited from effective training, development opportunities and strong management oversight.

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.

People received care and support in accordance with the principles of ‘Right care, right support, right culture’ guidance. People whose records we reviewed had recently reviewed support plans, risk assessments and positive behaviour support (PBS) plans in place.

People, relatives and staff, told us they felt the service was well managed and said the registered manager management team were very approachable and supportive. The provider had robust systems in place to monitor quality and ensure people received person centred care. Audits and monitoring supported the management team to independently identify and address shortfalls or improvements. Lessons were learned and shared with staff where required.

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 registered manager worked collaboratively with health and social care professionals to enhance the quality of support provided and ensure people received consistent, coordinated care. Staff incorporated recommendations from healthcare professionals into care plans and support records, enabling them to meet people's needs consistently and effectively.

The registered manager developed and maintained positive working relationships with external professionals, including healthcare practitioners. Professionals spoke positively about the quality of care delivered by the service and the proactive approach staff took to monitoring people's wellbeing and responding to changing needs.

Feedback and quality assurance assessments completed by external stakeholders demonstrated that people received safe, effective and high-quality care. Reports shared with the Care Quality Commission provided further evidence of the positive outcomes achieved and the provider's commitment to maintaining high standards of care.

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.

The provider fostered a genuinely open and positive culture in which staff openly discussed accidents, incidents and near misses, viewing them as opportunities for learning and improvement. Leaders encouraged reflection and continuous development, creating an environment where staff felt confident to share experiences, raise concerns and contribute to service improvements.

The registered manager and staff met regularly to discuss people's care, review changes in their needs and reflect on the support provided. These discussions enabled staff to share learning, recognise good practice and identify lessons from incidents, training and relevant research. This proactive approach supported continuous improvement and helped ensure people received safe, effective and person-centred care.

The provider actively sought feedback and used it to drive service improvement. The service had a clear complaints procedure, and leaders viewed concerns and complaints as opportunities to learn and strengthen practice. Leaders reviewed concerns and complaints thoroughly and used the findings to implement improvements where required, helping to enhance the quality of care and people's experiences.

Staff demonstrated a commitment to learning and understood the importance of being open and transparent when things did not go as planned. As a result, the service maintained a culture that promoted honesty, accountability and continuous improvement, with a clear focus on achieving positive outcomes for people.