Acorn Court 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, engagement and understanding the needs and experiences of people using the service.

People and their relatives told us there was a positive culture and atmosphere at the service. One person said, “I am very comfortable here. The staff are nice.” A relative told us, “He is cared for and they treat him like their grandad.”

Staff understood the vision for the service and the importance of transparency. They told us there was a positive culture, and they demonstrated an understanding of the challenges people faced. One member of staff said, “Everyone is helpful. The ambience is really nice.” Another member of staff commented, “The company ethos is for care and compassion. I trust my colleagues.”

The provider had a clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and a strong understanding of the challenges and needs of people and their communities.

People and their relatives told us they knew who the registered manager was and that the service was managed by capable, transparent and compassionate leaders. A relative told us, “I know who the manager is, they are absolutely approachable. Three people in the management team, all approachable.” Another relative said, “I think it is well managed. [Registered manager] will always listen and do her best.” A third relative said, “I think it is very well managed.”

Staff told us the service was managed by leaders who had the skills and experience to lead them effectively. A member of staff told us, “The manager is really approachable. Every time I come to her she asks me ‘how are you?’.” Another member of staff said, “I really like it here; they are really supportive both the manager and the provider.”

The registered manager demonstrated an in-depth understanding of all areas of the service, including people’s needs and any challenges. Feedback from people, relatives, staff and partners confirmed the registered manager’s capability and the standards they had set were reflected throughout the service. People were encouraged to be involved in the day-to-day running of the home and numerous areas were co-produced with people’s input which improved their outcomes. For example, activities provisions, monthly language cafes, and compassionate bereavement support for which the service received nationally recognised accreditation.

The registered manager acted on any areas of improvement that were highlighted by actively seeking feedback, and by recognising their own areas of development. There was a focus on promoting a positive culture in the service and our observations confirmed this as staff demonstrated the provider’s values in their interactions with people. The registered highlighted their organisational vision by stating, “Together, these improvements reflect us as a home that not only responds to feedback and learning but also strives to innovate, celebrate success and place residents, families and colleagues at the heart of everything we do.”

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

People, their relatives and staff told us they felt able to speak up if they had a concern, and that the registered manager would take their concerns seriously. The registered manager told us they operated an open-door policy and feedback we received confirmed this. One person told us, “I talk to all the staff if I need anything or I am worried.” A relative said, “[Registered manager] is approachable and really helpful.” Another relative said, “I feel comfortable to raise any concerns.”

The registered manager told us they aimed to be approachable and encouraged an open and supportive culture within the service. Feedback we received confirmed this. One member of staff told us, “Definitely, I feel able to speak up.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They promoted an inclusive and fair culture and supported equality, diversity and inclusion within the workforce.

Staff had completed equality and diversity training and they understood their responsibilities towards people who used the service and colleagues. Staff told us there was an inclusive culture at the service and that they felt valued by the registered manager and the wider management team. A member of staff told us, “We should treat them just like us. It’s very important that the residents and us are treated fairly.” Another member of staff said, “We are valued: we get a lot of little things. They give us presents and they do events for staff.”

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and governance arrangements across the service. 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.

The provider completed various audits, such as in relation to medicines management, care plan reviews and health and safety checks, as well as unannounced nighttime spot checks and observations of staff. Where they identified areas of improvement, they had set timescales of completion and addressed these. We found the registered manager was motivated to make the improvements we identified during our assessment.

Staff told us there was a clear governance structure in place and they knew who to approach if they were unsure on how best to support people or other aspects of their role. One member of staff told us, “I always report to the manager. I know where to go. She’s very approachable. I’ve not had any bad experiences with her.”

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.

Partners told us the service worked well with them and listened to feedback. Staff effectively shared information with partners in healthcare and within the local community. The provider worked collaboratively with partners and care records showed external professionals were involved in people's care. For example, the registered manager had developed relationships with the local library and food bank, and the service fundraised for local charities. One partner told us, “[Registered manager] is very engaging with staff and professionals like myself who come in. If I went to her and said I had concerns, she would rectify that problem.” Another professional said, “Overall, the team is engaged, supportive and keen to develop their skills to improve the care they provide, and management have been approachable when I have discussed any concerns.”

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They promoted continuous learning and improvement and shared learning to support safe and effective care.

There was a culture of learning and improvement at the service. Staff regularly discussed how to improve the service and they communicated these changes to each other. For example, there were regular staff meetings to look at ways of improving the quality of care and share learning. For example, staff discussed challenges of using specific equipment in meetings and it was clearly noted when this action had been completed. Meetings were also used to share news with all staff and any safeguarding concerns which had been raised in the previous month.

The registered manager told us they attended local registered managers’ forums and quarterly managers’ meetings with other care homes operated by the same provider to discuss good practice and areas of learning. Where we highlighted minor areas of improvement during this assessment, the registered manager was motivated to improve the service and the registered manager acted on the improvements identified and shared learning with the provider's other care homes.