Cooksons Court

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. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding. This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 93 (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 home was warm and welcoming to everyone. Everyone we spoke with without exception told us the home was excellent and people were treated very well. People and relatives remarked on how lovely and caring the staff were. Staff went above and beyond to ensure people lived a full and happy life. The management team fostered an open and transparent service where people were able to live the life they wanted, and staff were committed to providing opportunities for people to do the things they enjoyed. For example, one person who liked to be in the garden and grow vegetables was able to do this with some support from staff. This helped the person feel good and have some purpose. The culture in the service aimed to support people in the way they wanted, and nothing was too much trouble for staff.

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. One staff member said, “Yes I would raise concerns if I had any.” Notice boards in the home had lots of thank you messages from families, people and professionals. Online feedback was consistently positive about the home and management team. Feedback from professionals was very positive about how the team and management team ran the home. The managers and leads were very passionate about the home and demonstrated the organisational values. Staff told us they had opportunities for training and development at all levels. Staff told us they loved their jobs and enjoyed working at the home. Leaders led by example, they were visible in the home and had the right level of experience and knowledge to be effective in their roles. The registered manager told us they had excellent support from senior managers and quality leads. Quality systems were effective and robust. Where issues were highlighted actions were put in place to ensure people were safe.

The provider was exceptional at fostering a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Everyone we spoke with without exception told us they had no concerns about the service but if they did, they felt assured it would be addressed swiftly. The registered manager fostered a culture of openness and transparency. People, staff and relatives were given information and opportunities to raise any concerns. Resident’s meetings were held regularly, and people were reminded to come forward with any concerns. Safeguarding was a regular agenda item at meetings. The registered manager is the safeguarding lead for the home. The provider had a ‘Speak up champion’ and a confidential call line. This can be accessed by staff.

Staff had several avenues to raise concerns for example, through 1:1 meetings, whistle blowing procedures, and team meetings. Posters were in the home to remind staff about being able to speak up. Staff surveys were sent out to ask staff for feedback and to suggest ways of improving the service.

The registered manager had raised a safeguarding alert following some concerns raised by a family member. This was done correctly using the organisational policy on safeguarding. This demonstrates how open and transparent the home is when dealing with concerns. Staff and people told us they had no concerns about speaking up if needed.

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. For example, the rota plan was adjusted to consider religious festivals for staff who wanted to observe their religion.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

Effective governance systems were in place to ensure all aspects of the service were examined and actions put in place where issues were identified. For example, following a review of 1 care plan a referral for rehab was made by the team. Audits were in good detail and focused on making improvements. The registered manager held meetings with all departments regularly. Actions from these meetings were followed up and recorded. For example, it was noted by the team that there were some maintenance issues to be reported. This was done in a timely manner. Daily in-depth discussions of people’s needs were completed by the team. Any identified changes were addressed immediately and communicated to the team. Handovers took place at the end of each shift; these were an effective way to keep the team up to date with information. The registered manager had excellent oversight of the home and led by example. In the manager’s office there was a visual board, the board showed any high-level issues that needed attention, it was a quick way of identifying concerns and actions taken for all staff. The quality of care was checked regularly and actions put in place when needed. People and staff surveys were carried out yearly; suggestion boxes were available throughout the home. People had regular meetings and relatives had the opportunity to offer ideas and suggestions. Results from surveys were communicated to the team/people and actions were followed up. For example, in the suggestion box a person had wanted to have more exercise, this was then added to the activities calendar. The provider shared many examples of how feedback from people and staff helped to improve the service. Robust auditing systems were in place and action plans were clear and focused.

Key staff members had taken on additional responsibilities, for example, 1 senior had taken on capacity assessments and best interests decision meetings. Another staff member was responsible for advance care plans. The provider gave them protected time to staff so they could take on these responsibilities. The provider invested time and resources into making improvements in the home to the benefit of the people living at the home. The provider celebrated staff success for example, staff were nominated for employee of the month, and staff were also part of the care awards in Somerset.

Policies and procedures were in place for staff if guidance was needed. The registered manager told us they were taking part in the ‘Gloves off’ campaign, this was to ensure gloves were only worn when necessary. Staff told us the mangers were very supportive and approachable.

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 had established good working relationships with other teams. For example, they had provided specialist training for their team using a free external resource which enabled the team to be more competent in end-of-life care. In addition, they worked well with health care professionals such as the speech and language team. Community links were developed for example, the local library, café and primary schools. All of these links and relationships had benefits for the people using the service.

The 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 clear culture of learning and developing the service. We had many examples of how learning had occurred within the service. For example, the clinical lead works alongside the head of governance improving systems for other homes. The chef teaches other homes good practices. Opportunities to learn and share learning is evident within the home. All staff are encouraged to reflect on practices and make improvements.

The management team had excellent oversight of the service, they had a hands-on approach and were visible in the home. All aspects of care delivery were scrutinised to ensure standards were met. All incidents/accidents and complaints were investigated, analysed and actions taken. For example, if a person had a fall, measures were taken to mitigate the risk of re-occurrence. Following an audit of records, training was put in place to support staff in understanding the importance of completing records accurately. The registered manager said records had significantly improved because of the training. The management team listen to staff, people and their relatives. Feedback is actively sought and actions taken for example, a bike rack was requested by a visitor, and this was added to the car park. Staff could learn new skills and take on additional responsibilities. Additional training for staff is provided to enhance their skills. Staff could be promoted and move into managerial positions. The culture in the home is to learn and improve the service for the benefit of people living at Cookson Court.

At all levels they used feedback and quality checks to improve the service. Everyone we spoke with told us there was nothing they would change in the service; they told us they would highly recommend it to family or friends. One relative said, “Stay as good as they are.” Another relative said, “Nothing needs changing.”