Archived: Defoe Court

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 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. Staff told involved in developing and sustaining this culture and told us they enjoyed working at the service. One member of staff said, “There is a strong team spirit, and staff are dedicated to providing respectful and compassionate care to residents.”

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the leadership of the service. One relative said, “The staff and management are all accessible, so we are able to give feedback when we need to.” A member of staff told us, “Management are fantastic, and I know that if I have any concerns I can go and speak to them at any time.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. A relative told us, “I know who to raise concerns to.” Records showed that action was taken when issues were raised.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for staff who worked for them. Staff said they were proud to work at the service. One member of staff told us, “I really enjoy my job, and I feel well supported in my role.”

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. Effective systems were in place to monitor and improve standards at the service. These included seeking feedback from people, relatives and staff and auditing care records.

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. Healthcare partners spoke positively about their partnership working with the service. The service had close links with their neighbours in the local community, including a local nursery. Children from there had made friends with people at the service, who gave positive feedback on their visits. One person said, “I look forward to the children visiting, it’s lovely how they join us here in our home it really makes my day seeing them.”

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. Staff spoke positively about the support they received to grow in their roles. One told us, “There are great opportunities to learn and progress.”