The Dunes

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 inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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 service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. Everybody understood the direction of the service was to enrich the lives of people by providing a place of care, safety and companionship.The provider and registered manager had a clear vision for the service which aligned to the service values which were; putting people first, being supportive, acting with integrity, striving for excellence, and being positive. A staff member said, “Our purpose is to make people’s lives better and carry out their wishes. We need to help and support them and make sure people are happy and settled in their daily lives. Our provider’s mission is to care for people and promote their independence and wellbeing.” The service held regular management meetings, staff meetings and supervisions. Staff knew people well and spoke knowledgeably about the people they supported. Staff prioritised safe, and compassionate care.

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. Everyone worked towards and sought to embody the provider’s core values. People and staff benefitted from strong leadership of the service. The registered manager was passionate about care delivery and creating a home for the people who lived at the service. The registered manager told us they were supported by the provider and by their management team within the service. We received positive feedback about the management of the service. A staff member said, “I like the registered manager, they are honest, kind and always have a smile, I feel comfortable with them.” The registered manager was knowledgeable about the service and the duties of a registered manager and could access relevant support and development in their role.

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff told us they knew how to raise concerns and speak up; they were aware of the various channels. Staff were confident in the manager and provider to address any problems they had. People and relatives were provided with various ways to give their views on the service. They told us they were happy to speak with staff or the management team to address any concerns. A relative said, “We have a really good relationship with the staff and management team. We keep in touch all the time, and we can chat and feedback. We always get results.” A staff member told us, “I am always given the opportunity to express how I feel and raise concerns.”

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. The service was built on inclusivity and there was a diverse staff team who were encouraged to share their values and morals. Everyone was welcome in the service. Staff told us they felt accepted by their colleagues, and felt teamwork was one of their strengths. A staff member said, “I like my team and my manager. We all have patience, understanding and good clear communication. We support each other.” Relatives felt a long-standing staff team had contributed to good continuous care for their family members. A relative told us, “There is nothing more valuable than a consistent staff team who are experienced and know the people well. I feel the staff know [person] better than we do, they have a real understanding of [person].”

The service 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 act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate. Governance systems were operating effectively which enabled the registered manager and provider to have oversight of the service. Systems were in place to monitor the service through a programme of regular audits by the service and the provider. Regular management meetings were in place to discuss and review audits. Reviews of improvement plans were ongoing and had the scrutiny of the registered manager and the provider. The registered manager had made all notifications to CQC as required by law. A notification is the action that a provider is legally bound to take to tell us about any changes to their regulated services or incidents that have taken place in them. The registered manager kept themselves updated through internal communications and CQC bulletins and told us how they learnt from other services within the organisation.

The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement. People told us they were included within the community, many accessing the local area frequently. Relatives told us it was important to their family members to be part of the community. The registered manager told us the service regularly communicated with health and social care professionals as required to meet people’s needs. Records confirmed relatives were involved when appropriate and often attended people’s health appointments when required. The provider kept detailed records of people’s health appointments. The provider understood their duty to collaborate, share information and work in partnership with key organisations to support care provision, service development and joined-up care. Health and social care professionals were positive about working with the service.

The service focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research. The service continually sought to engage with people and improve outcomes. The registered manager told us about the ways in which they were continually looking to improve the service. For example, redecoration of the service and to increase people’s accessing and being part of their local community. They understood the importance of continual improvement within the service and were assured their systems enabled them to have effective oversight and promoted continuous improvement.