Woodland Residential 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 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.

There was an obvious culture of providing care and support in a person-centred, caring environment. Throughout the inspection staff and people referred to Woodland as people’s ‘home’. The atmosphere was positive, staff appeared relaxed and were smiling and friendly when they spoke with people or assisted them with any tasks.

Senior staff completed regular observations to monitor how support was provided, any learning from these observations was fed back to the staff team to help improve people’s experiences. This was approached as a learning exercise rather than highlighting areas for improvement in individual staff members practice.

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.

Senior managers at Woodland demonstrated a commitment to compassionate, inclusive practice. Staff were highly complimentary about the registered manager who they described as, ‘approachable’, ‘lovely’ and ‘supportive.’ The registered manager was highly visible in the service. They frequently spent time in the dining room during lunch and working with staff to improve people’s dining experience.

External professionals also commented on the management of the service. Comments included; “Woodlands have a very stable and knowledgeable management team which offers continuity and a person-centred approach, both the deputy and manager are very approachable and often hands on, they have a good feeling of the environment and know what is going on within the home” and “I have a really good rapport with [Registered manager and deputy manager] and all the Seniors and Team Leaders that I have worked with.”

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

Staff told us they felt able to raise concerns or ask questions at any time. One commented, “I used to be scared of asking questions, not anymore.”

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

Following the recruitment of staff from overseas the registered manager had organised a cultural workshop for staff. They told us this had helped all staff to understand each other’s experiences and perspectives. One member of staff said, “We are working well as a team with our oversees colleagues. We get on well and it’s nice to have them with us.” A member of staff from overseas told us they had not experienced any discrimination at work and were treated fairly. They remarked, “[Registered manager] would not put up with it, there is zero tolerance.”

Additional support was offered to staff experiencing personal challenges, including flexible working arrangements. Staff were encouraged and supported to develop professionally.

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 and leadership systems provided strong oversight of the service. Monthly audits were completed so any gaps, themes or areas for improvement could be identified. The registered manager met with managers from the organisations other services regularly. This enabled them to access peer support and share learning.

Business continuity plans outlined information and guidance for use in the event of an emergency. A ‘grab bag’ was located in the porch, this contained PEEPs and basic items such as torches and important phone numbers.

Policies were relevant to the service and were up to date. The provider had submitted statutory notifications to CQC as required.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

Feedback from external professionals was consistently positive, they reported being contacted appropriately when concerns were identified relating to people’s well-being. They told us any advice was recorded and acted upon. Comments from professionals indicated they felt valued and supported by staff at Woodland. One told us, “I always feel welcome, never feel like I am putting them out, all the staff are friendly, the atmosphere is always good.”

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 service actively sought feedback from people, their families and staff through surveys and regular meetings. Following a resident survey in 2025, the provider had committed to providing more opportunities to go outdoors. Arrangements for the provision of extra transport had been made to facilitate this.