Woolston House

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 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 newly registered 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.

The provider’s values were displayed on their website and were discussed within staff meetings. We found a friendly atmosphere and feedback indicated staff morale had improved. The management team were promoting an open culture. For example, information was displayed about the number of complaints received and how these had been dealt with.

The provider had numerous policies in place, some of which were under review. Staff had access to these via the provider’s Exemplar App. There was a focus on engagement and co-production, with people and staff being involved in the development of the service.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered 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 had been in post for around 6 months and was supported by a wider team, including a Quality Improvement Manager. The registered manager was visible around the building and available to people and their relatives. They knew people well and had built effective relationships. People commented, “(Name) is the home manager. She is visible and will do a walk round every morning. She is approachable if I want a chat” and “The manager is easy to talk to.”

Overall, staff provided positive feedback about the management of the service. One staff member commented, “I love working here, we have the most supportive team and manager.” The management team were responsive to our feedback, and demonstrated they were passionate about providing quality care which achieved good outcomes for people.

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

People and their relatives felt able to raise any concerns should they need to. A relative told us, "The manager is easy to talk to. I do trust in them and the care they give.” Various roles such as the ambassador roles, encouraged people to speak up.

The provider had a ‘Raising Concerns’ policy, which encouraged staff to raise any concerns with their manager. Staff had access to an external confidential whistleblowing line. The provider had a ‘Raising Concerns Committee’, who undertook further investigations where required. Staff told us they felt able to raise any issues should they need to.

The provider had arranged a ‘Listening event’ to enable staff to share feedback about their experiences and to help make improvements. Feedback was recorded, with themes shared with the staff team.

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 an equality and diversity policy in place and staff undertook relevant training. The management team fostered an inclusive environment, for example, providing a faith room to accommodate people’s religious practices. Staff told us they felt fairly treated in the workplace.

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 had an effective system for governance and oversight in place, with various audits and checks undertaken. The management team followed a schedule planner for daily, weekly and other various checks, including nighttime checks and support to staff. The management team had focused on strengthening procedures and oversight systems, which were now being embedded. They acted on performance issues and were focused on further developments.

Most of the areas we highlighted had already been identified through the provider’s oversight. Where we found gaps, these were addressed straight away. The provider ensured notifications about incidents were submitted to CQC as required.

Feedback indicated there had been a positive impact following the opening and restructuring of the 4 units. People told us they had seen improvements since the new management team had been in place.

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 management team promoted partnership working with other agencies. Following previous quality assurance visits from the local authority, they were working with them to make improvements to the service. They offered student placements and supported apprenticeships. People volunteered at the service.

People were supported to connect with the local community. For example, one person enjoyed volunteering at a local park. People had been featured in the local news for supporting the community by donating packages and knitting scarves for a homeless charity. The charity was chosen by people using the service.

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 demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and development. For example, where common medication errors had been identified, the provider had undertaken a ‘Rapid Improvement Event’ (RIE), which reviewed and improved medication management in collaboration with staff. Lessons were learnt and shared with staff, with a new medication management policy being launched.

Other examples of the provider’s approach to improvement and innovation included the piloting of ‘Silver Shield Technology’ at Woolston House. This used technology through sensors in people’s bedrooms, to sense movement patterns and alert staff if something seems out of the ordinary, therefore detecting any falls. This was used in line with people’s consent or in their best interests.

The management team were responsive to our assessment feedback and created a document to share with staff about what they had learnt, including an action plan.