Nightingale 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 inadequate. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 new provider had established effective working relationships with external agencies to support ongoing improvement within the home. A new manager had also been appointed, who shared the provider’s values and demonstrated a strong commitment to driving continued improvements.
The management team has instilled an open culture within the home, which has contributed positively in regard to staff welfare. One staff member told us, “Things have improved so much, the staff morale is so different and positive, it is now a pleasure to come to work, the new management team are fantastic”.

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.
Staff spoke positively about the management team. They also told us the new manager had already made a good impression. They told us the provider had kept them well informed, was highly supportive and approachable, and demonstrated a genuine commitment to the well‑being of people living in the home.
The provider’s senior management visited the home regularly and offered ongoing support and supervision to the management team. The management team told us they felt confident that advice and assistance were always available when needed. Our observations supported this, as people were familiar with leaders at all levels and there was a strong sense of cohesive team working throughout the service.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
The management team operated an open‑door approach, enabling people, staff, and families to raise concerns or offer suggestions at any time. The provider had clear policies and procedures in place that supported a culture of speaking up, including guidance on safeguarding and whistleblowing. These systems promoted transparency and encouraged staff to feel safe and confident in reporting concerns without fear of negative consequences.
Staff we spoke with during the assessment told us they felt confident any concerns they raised would be taken seriously and acted upon. They demonstrated a clear understanding of the processes for reporting issues, both within the service and to external bodies when appropriate. Staff described a culture in which they felt safe to speak up, supported by management who encouraged openness and ensured concerns could be raised without fear of detriment.

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’s recruitment policies and procedures helped ensure staff experienced equitable treatment.
The service had an equality, diversity and inclusion policy in place to support fair and equitable recruitment and selection processes. Staff had also completed training in equality and diversity.
One staff member told us, “I’ve been here many years, the last year has been hard. A few us who have been here a long time have stayed as we believe in the new management team. Everyone is now treated fairly and feels comfortable going to management”.
 

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.
The management team had implemented a structured auditing schedule that enabled effective oversight of the service. Audit tools were accessible to all leaders within the home, and as part of our assessment we reviewed these. Each audit generated clear actions, contributing to an ongoing improvement plan for the service.
The management team also operated a centralised action plan that consolidated findings from multiple audit processes. This plan was reviewed regularly and made available to leaders, demonstrating strong governance and oversight.
The manager evidenced that robust contingency plans were in place for emergency situations. These were reviewed routinely to ensure they remained effective and supported the sustainability and resilience of the service.
 

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 recognised its responsibility to work collaboratively with external partners to ensure services were well‑coordinated and delivered seamlessly for people living in the home. Information and learning were shared openly with health and social care professionals. As part of our assessment, we reviewed documentation relating to lessons learned following accidents and incidents and saw that this learning had been shared with relevant external agencies. Staff and leaders actively engaged in joint working to support improved outcomes. This collaborative approach strengthened continuity of care and contributed positively to wider system improvements.
 

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.
Accidents, incidents and near misses were consistently reported, investigated, and followed up with actions to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Staff were kept informed of lessons learned through daily handovers and team meetings, supporting a culture of continuous learning. The new provider had also delivered additional training for leaders, enabling them to review accidents and incidents effectively and contribute to the development and implementation of improvement actions. During our assessment one staff member told us, “Staff are comfortable with management because everyone has the opportunity to have their say. The way things are now means that people are treated fairly and that means a lot”.