James Court Residential 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 Requires Improvement. 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 71 (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 promoted a shared vision, strategy and culture based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights.

Relatives described the organisation’s culture as inclusive. One relative said, “They [provider] always make sure I am involved as much as possible and they include me and [my family member] in all decisions.” Relatives told us about the caring nature of the staff team, 1 relative said, “I would like the staff to know how much we as a family appreciate all that they do, they do a great job, and I can see how much they care about [my family member]. The staff need to understand what a huge impact they have on people and family.”

Staff told us they upheld people’s rights and encouraged independence. One staff member explained how they listened to a physiotherapist’s advice when supporting 1 person. They said, “It's important to follow the advice in order to maintain [person’s name] ability, independence and strengthen their muscles, but we also have to listen to [the person] and go at their pace.”

Visiting professionals described the provider as open and receptive. One professional said, “The service has always been receptive to our support and recommendations and will seek our support when necessary.”

The provider shared their statement of purpose, which set out core values promoting and respecting people’s rights.

Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead the service effectively.

The manager was newly appointed but had previously held the position of registered manager before stepping down. They had since returned to the service and were reapplying for registration.

People knew who the manager was, and they shared positive views about their approach. Relatives told us the manager was approachable. One relative said, “The manager is always there, they are very approachable. It's very reassuring. I have no concerns at all.”

Staff told us they had confidence in the manager’s ability to lead. One staff member said, “[Manager’s name] is a good manager. They are approachable, I can talk to them when I have any concerns.”

Visiting professionals told us the management team were person centred in their approach. One visiting professional told us, “I have always been impressed with how dedicated the management team are to people, any actions I set are actioned in a timely manner and communication has been consistently a strength of the team.”

The manager apologised to people and relatives when things went wrong. They were open and honest about mistakes and shared learning. They understood their duty of candour.

The provider promoted a positive culture where staff felt able to speak up and expected their concerns to be heard.

Staff understood the whistleblowing policy. One staff member said, “The whistleblowing policy is all about ensuring good practice. If I see any poor practice, I must report this to my line manager straight away and I know they will act.”

The provider shared their whistleblowing policy and explained how this was introduced to all staff during induction. Information posters were visible in the service, encouraging staff to speak up and report concerns.

The provider valued diversity within the workforce and worked towards an inclusive, fair culture by promoting equality and equity for staff.

Staff told us they felt supported in their roles. One staff member said, “I have completed my [health and social care qualification]. The provider helped me to do complete it; they gave me time and support.”

The provider supported the staff team through regular supervision and training. The manager also worked shifts alongside staff, including night shifts, which helped them maintain oversight and provide direct support in day‑to‑day duties.

The provider used available information on risk, performance and outcomes and shared this securely with others when appropriate. However, statutory notifications were not always submitted to the Care Quality Commission [CQC ] in line with regulatory responsibilities.

The provider told us they had experienced difficulties using the CQC online system to submit notifications, although alternative submission routes were available. Following our feedback during this inspection, the provider submitted the outstanding notifications retrospectively and introduced new processes to ensure statutory notifications are submitted promptly in future.

Staff understood their duties and accountability. Two staff members outlined their responsibilities as keyworkers and described their roles clearly. People we spoke with were able to tell us who their keyworker was.

Quality auditing and monitoring took place to review the quality of care provided.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services operated smoothly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and worked together for improvement.

Visiting professionals told us the provider worked effectively and collaboratively with them. One professional said, “I have always found the service warm and welcoming, and they are responsive to emails and happy for us to complete visits.” Another said, “The provider’s responsiveness has always been good, with regular contact via telephone or email. They respond quickly and provide detailed updates highlighting key information.”

Care records showed regular communication and meetings with a range of health and social care professionals.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and wider system. They contributed to safe, effective practice and ongoing development.

Visiting professionals told us the provider embraced their recommendations. One visiting professional told us, “Both the manager and deputy manager are compassionate and caring, and they have both been responsive to feedback and recommendations. The whole team and management were receptive of this and implemented changes swiftly to meet people’s needs.”

The provider was a member of the Staffordshire Care Association, which represents adult social care services across Stoke and Staffordshire. They explained the benefits of this membership, including access to training opportunities and networking events to share good practice and explore development opportunities.

The provider was also a member of Skills for Care. The manager explained this membership provided access to tools and resources that supported workforce development. Skills for Care is the strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England.

All feedback shared during this inspection was acted on promptly. The provider took action to address identified areas and shared their future action and contingency plans. These plans showed they [management team] recognised improvements were needed in some areas, including renovations to the physical environment, and were preparing to implement these changes.