Blandford Grange 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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 registered manager had worked hard to improve the culture in the service. This was achieved by promoting a shared vision across the staff team and leading with openness and

Honesty. Staff told us they shared the registered manager’s passion to continually improve how people received their support. A healthcare professional told us, “I would describe the culture as one of kindness and compassion.” We observed a friendly and caring atmosphere during our assessment.

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.

The registered manager was visible in the service and knew people and the staff team well.

Staff told us the registered manager ran the service well and treated them with respect. They said they felt well supported and were encouraged to be part of developing the service by being able to share ideas and suggestions in meetings.

Everyone we spoke with, or received feedback from, was complimentary of the management team. Comments made included, “Management is stable and I think it will get stronger the more the managers listen tothe staff, residents and their families.” A relative told us, “The management [team] are very friendly, and always willing to help”.

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

Relatives and staff told us the registered manager was approachable. They were confident any concerns raised would be taken seriously and dealt with effectively.

Policies and procedures were also in place to guide staff about speaking out and raising issues or concerns and staff told us they were aware of those policies and felt confident in doing so.

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 valued and respected by both the provider and the registered manager, they felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment.

The provider had a policy in place to ensure staff were treated fairly and had equal opportunities to learn and develop their roles within the organisation. There were fair recruitment processes in place, which helped to protect the rights of staff under the Equality Act. There was a diverse staff team working in the service and open communication supported equality and inclusion. We observed staff working together and communicating effectively with each other during our visits.

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.

Policies and procedures underpinned working practices, and this was supported by training and ongoing monitoring. Systems were in place to monitor the service through a programme of regular audits. The registered manager had good oversight of the service and was supported by the provider’s Quality Team to identify and address any shortfalls in the services provided. The registered manager attended local provider meetings and a registered managers’ forum in which to network and share good practice and ideas. Any lessons learned were shared with the staff team that promoted an open culture that was keen to improve.

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 service had positive working relationships with health and social professionals and other organisations. Managers and staff regularly liaised and shared information, for example daily heads of departments met to discuss any issues or concerns with the environment or people.

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 registered manager used the outcomes of audits, analysis of events and feedback from people, their relatives and staff to drive improvements within the service.

The provider had systems in place to ensure learning and improvements were shared across the organisation. For example, registered managers from across the organisation met regularly with senior leaders to share good practice.