Bridle Lodge

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 outstanding. 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 64 (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 which was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an understanding of the challenges and needs of people and their communities.

During the assessment, staff consistently told us that the interim manager had quickly identified areas of concern and was actively implementing positive improvements. There was a clear focus on learning, openness and continuous improvement, which supported a culture where staff felt listened to and valued.

Staff described improved communication and clearer expectations, and said they felt supported to reflect on past practice and make meaningful changes. One staff member said, “The previous manager really let us down and we didn’t get the support we needed. The [interim] manager has been really good at listening and making changes. They have supported us to learn from where things were going wrong, so we know why now and how to put it right.”

This demonstrated a positive shift in leadership and culture, where learning from challenges was encouraged and staff were empowered to improve the quality of care they delivered. The shared direction within the service helped promote consistency, accountability and a collective commitment to delivering person‑centred, inclusive care.

Leaders had not always been capable, compassionate or inclusive, and had not consistently demonstrated an understanding of the context in which care, treatment and support were delivered. Prior to the interim manager taking on the management and oversight of Bridle Lodge, staff reported that leaders did not always embody the values of the organisation or promote a positive culture. Staff told us they had not received regular supervisions or team meetings, and communication and feedback had been poor for a prolonged period of time. This contributed to a lack of direction and support for the workforce.

The interim manager had been in post for 12 weeks at the time of the assessment, and all staff we spoke with told us communication had significantly improved. They felt the interim manager was approachable, visible and committed to rebuilding trust within the team. The interim manager told us, “There is an excellent team of staff here at Bridle Lodge, I can’t praise them enough for the consistent care and support they provide to people. Staff are actively included in designing and changing the service now and their passion for improvement is infectious.”

While early improvements were evident, further time was needed for these changes to become fully embedded and for leadership practices to consistently reflect capable, compassionate and inclusive values throughout the service.

The provider and interim manager had made improvements and fostered an environment where staff felt able to speak up and were now confident that their concerns would be acted upon. Under the previous management team, staff told us they did not feel their voices were heard. They gave examples of raising concerns about staffing levels and the safety of people’s support packages, yet no action was taken in response. This contributed to a culture where staff felt unable to raise issues openly or challenge unsafe or ineffective practice.

However, all staff we spoke with told us that since the interim manager and area manager had taken management of the home, they now felt more confident to raise concerns. Staff described a more open and responsive approach, where their feedback was listened to and early action was taken to address issues. Staff acknowledged that further time was needed for these improvements to become fully embedded and for them to consistently see the impact of their feedback reflected in practice. Staff gave clear examples of how the interim manager had acted on feedback about staffing levels, communication and support through methods such as regular supervisions.

The provider had made significant improvements to promote a consistently inclusive, equitable or supportive culture for staff. Many staff told us that previous staffing levels and a lack of support had negatively affected their wellbeing and their ability to feel valued within the workforce. Staff also described limited opportunities for feedback and a lack of regular supervisions, which contributed to them feeling unheard and unsupported.

However, since the recruitment of the interim manager, staff felt the provider had begun to place a stronger emphasis on valuing diversity within the workforce and working towards a more inclusive and fair culture. Staff reported that the interim manager had taken steps to improve equality and equity, including being more flexible and responsive to individual needs. One staff member said, “I can talk to the management team about anything now. I know they will listen without judgement.”

While the provider now had clear responsibilities, defined roles, systems of accountability and governance arrangements in place, these had not been consistently applied under the previous manager. As a result, standards had not been maintained, particularly in relation to record‑keeping, which had impacted the provider’s ability to effectively monitor and evidence the quality of care being delivered.

Care plans and daily records were not always sufficiently detailed, accurate or consistent to demonstrate how people’s care needs were being met or reviewed. This indicated that governance systems had not been robust enough historically to identify and address issues in a timely way.

At the time of the assessment, the interim manager had inherited historical risks and identified the gaps and concerns identified within this assessment. They implemented an action plan to strengthen governance arrangements. This included measures to upskill staff around record‑keeping and improve their confidence and understanding of documentation requirements. While these actions demonstrated a positive and proactive response to identified concerns, more time was needed to ensure improvements were fully embedded and consistently sustained across 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. At the time of our assessment the provider had limited need for professional involvement within the service, however care plans contained clear guidance for staff on how and when to contact and involve other professionals.

The provider did not always focus consistently on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation. Under the previous management structure, audits had repeatedly identified areas requiring improvement, including issues relating to staffing, lessons learned and the quality of care plans. These areas remained outstanding at the time of this assessment, indicating that previous actions had not been fully implemented or sustained.

However, the newly appointed interim manager demonstrated openness, transparency and a clear commitment to improvement. They had developed a detailed action plan to address the issues identified and had already begun to make meaningful changes. Feedback from staff and relatives confirmed they had noticed early improvements and felt confident that progress would continue under the new leadership.

While improvement was still required, the provider had begun to take the necessary steps to develop a culture of learning and continuous development.