Russell Green 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 home care 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 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a positive and person centred culture across the service. The provider's values were reflected in the way care was planned and delivered. The management team understood how to reduce the risk of closed cultures and linked in with local networking groups to share ideas about best practice. Staff understood the importance of equality, inclusion and respecting people's rights, helping to ensure people were supported in a way that reflected their individual circumstances and choices.

Staff spoke positively about working for the service and demonstrated a shared focus on achieving good outcomes for people. They understood the importance of treating people with dignity and respect and promoting their independence. Staff worked together well and were committed to providing care that reflected people's individual needs and preferences.

The management team promoted an open and supportive culture. Staff told us they felt listened to and were comfortable raising concerns, sharing ideas and seeking advice when needed.

People and relatives provided positive feedback about the care they received. Their views were sought and considered as part of the provider's approach to developing and improving the service. The management team maintained a clear focus on ensuring people remained at the centre of decisions about their care and support.

Leaders were visible, approachable and provided effective support to staff. They demonstrated a commitment to delivering good quality care and promoting a positive and inclusive culture.

Staff spoke positively about the management team and told us they felt supported in their roles. They said managers were available for advice and guidance and responded promptly when support was needed. Staff felt comfortable raising concerns and discussing ideas for improving the service.

The management team understood the needs of the people using the service and maintained oversight of the quality of care provided. They regularly reviewed information about the service and took action where improvements were identified. Their approach promoted openness and encouraged staff to provide feedback.

Staff told us managers were understanding and flexible when personal circumstances affected their ability to work their usual hours. This supportive approach helped staff maintain a positive work life balance and contributed to staff wellbeing.

People received care from staff who felt valued and supported. One person told us, “I don’t think they could have done anything better, I only have 100% praise for them.” Another person said, “I would recommend them to anyone looking for care. They care about what’s going on and in a very nice way.” The management team promoted values based on kindness, respect and inclusion, which were reflected in the way staff provided care and support to people.

Staff felt able to speak up, share feedback and raise concerns. Staff told us they were listened to and felt their views were valued by the management team. Staff described the management team as approachable and supportive. They said they felt comfortable discussing concerns, suggesting improvements and seeking advice when needed. Staff were confident any issues raised would be taken seriously and acted upon appropriately.

The management team encouraged open communication and created opportunities for staff to share their views through supervision, meetings and day to day discussions. Staff told us they received feedback about issues raised and felt involved in the ongoing development of the service.

The provider promoted an open and honest culture where learning and improvement were encouraged. Staff felt able to challenge poor practice and understood their responsibility to raise concerns if they identified anything that could affect people's safety or wellbeing.

There was an inclusive and respectful culture where staff were treated fairly and valued for their contribution to the service. The provider promoted equality, diversity and inclusion within its workforce and expected staff to treat people and colleagues with dignity and respect. Staff understood the importance of recognising and respecting individual differences and providing care that reflected people's diverse needs and backgrounds.

Staff told us they felt supported in their roles. They spoke positively about the culture of the service and said they were treated fairly by the management team. Staff felt able to express their views and believed they would be listened to and treated with respect.

Equality, diversity and inclusion were reflected in the way care was planned and delivered. People's individual circumstances, preferences and protected characteristics were considered when care was provided, helping to ensure support was personalised and responsive to their needs.

Governance systems were effective and provided oversight of the quality and safety of the service. The provider used these systems to monitor performance, identify improvements and support the delivery of good quality care.

A range of audits and monitoring processes were in place and covered key areas of the service. These were completed monthly and annually and helped the management team identify where action was needed to strengthen practice. Improvements identified through audits were tracked and addressed, helping to support continued development of the service.

The management team maintained oversight of people's care, staff performance and the day to day running of the service. Information relating to risks and people’s experiences was reviewed to help ensure any concerns were identified and responded to appropriately.

Governance arrangements included oversight from both the management team, the area manager and the provider. This provided an additional level of scrutiny and support. The provider was in regular contact with the service and maintained awareness of developments, changes and any emerging issues.

Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and there were clear lines of accountability across the service. The management team used information gathered through audits, feedback and routine monitoring to support decision making and drive improvement.

The provider worked in partnership with other services and organisations where relevant, to help ensure people received coordinated care that met their changing needs. Staff and the management team worked with relatives and external professionals to support people's health, wellbeing and independence. Information was shared appropriately when people's needs changed and referrals were made to relevant services to help ensure people received the support they required.

There was evidence of effective partnership working that had a positive impact on people's lives. For example, the provider worked with healthcare professionals over a period of five months to secure specialist equipment for a person whose health condition had deteriorated. This involved ongoing communication and referrals to relevant services. Once the equipment was provided, it had a significantly positive impact on the person's daily life and ability to remain independent.

The provider also recognised the needs of the wider community. The management team stayed in touch with relatives of people who had since died to check they were ok and help prevent isolation in the community. The staff provided a hot meal service for people in the community who were no longer able to prepare meals for themselves, helping to support their wellbeing and independence.

The management team encouraged continuous learning and improvement across the service. They sought opportunities to develop staff knowledge and keep up to date with current practice to support good outcomes for people. One person told us, “They train their staff well and I like all of them as a person. I would be happy to have them all as friends.”

Staff told us they were encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge. New staff were supported to complete the Care Certificate and were encouraged to undertake additional qualifications and training as they progressed in their roles. The Care Certificate is a recognised set of standards that health and social care workers complete to demonstrate they have the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to provide safe and effective care. This helped staff build their confidence and understanding of good practice.

The provider recognised the importance of keeping up to date with changes within the health and social care sector. The management team subscribed to professional newsletters and information updates, including those issued by CQC. They were also members of the local care association and used these networks to access guidance, share learning and remain informed about current developments.

Learning from external sources was shared with staff through training, supervision and day to day communication. This helped ensure staff were aware of current best practice and any changes relevant to their role.