Highfield 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 82 (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 clear shared vision, strategy and culture which staff understood and shared. 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 management team had a culture of openness with staff, people, relatives and other professionals. There was a strong commitment to person centred care and support, that valued and respected people as individuals. Staff shared that commitment. People were positive about the way the service was run and organised. One person said, “They have very high standards, it’s first class. They do things so well and are very effective, from sundown and for 24 hours a day. They are amazing.” A staff member said, “The culture is good. It feels like a home [not a care home]” and “It’s one of the best care homes I've worked in; the core values align with mine.”

The provider had exceptionally 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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

We found the registered manager to have a very good knowledge of the service, staff and people who lived at the home. They demonstrated a very strong belief in inclusion and values-led management. The registered manager understood their role and was very committed to leading by example and ensuring people who lived at the home were at the heart of all decisions. A recent example had been how people had been actively involved in redesigning the menu and how mealtimes were organised.

Everyone was very positive about the registered manager and the way the service was organised and run. Staff said, “[Registered manager] is great”, “Brilliant, very approachable, his doors always open” and “Management are doing a really good job, they will ask you what is going on, they are flexible and approachable, very supportive.”

People said “I see [registered manager] walking up and down. He comes in to have a chat with me, which is lovely” and “I know the manager and I can talk to him. He is very respectful and efficient.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff were encouraged to speak up at meetings, share their views if they wished. “There were designated ‘Speak Up Champions’—staff members outside of the management team whom colleagues could approach to raise concerns, confidentially if they wished.”

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 listened to and valued as individuals.

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 and registered manager had good oversight of the service. There was a range of audits and systems in place to ensure the quality and continued development of the service. During the inspection we found the registered manager and senior managers responded immediately to review existing practise and put in place any improvements if needed.

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 and provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always 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 had a continuous professional development process that engaged with staff to understand their own development requirements and support needs. Where staff had experienced difficulties with their practise, they were constructively supported to reflect on their practise and identify why things had happened and what could be done differently.

The registered manager had a systematic and evidence-based approach to learning, development, evaluation and continuous improvement of the service. Staff were supported and encouraged to try new things. Staff told us the learning and striving for continuous development was embedded in the culture of the home. Staff told us they were involved and felt they could provide input to ideas for improvement or changes. One staff member said, “Lessons learnt is normal practice.”

An example included a ‘silent disco’ that happened as part of dementia awareness week. It was billed as a ‘Celebration music, movement memory’. The registered manager had completed a case study on the positive effects this had for people. This looked not just at how much fun it was, although one person had commented; ‘I really loved it. I haven't danced so much in ages.’ It also identified how music and movement can help in a therapeutic way for those living with dementia including cardiovascular, balance and coordination, emotional expression and reduce loneliness isolation. We saw similar examples of case studies completed around dining experience and nutrition/weight loss and falls analysis and prevention.