Bramwell

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 79 (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, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The provider’s mission statement was “to provide dignity for everyone every day, because we care." The registered manager had printed this on the mini flash cards each staff member was provided with. This culture was evident amongst the whole staff team that they treated everyone with dignity and caring, it was clear the registered manager had cultivated this culture by setting the example. A staff member told us, “The manager will walk around the units, chatting to residents and staff and even being hands on like helping with making beds, breakfast etc. This motivates me to work harder and better.”

Family said, “It is their whole mind set from the cleaner upwards to the manager, all the staff smile, say hi. The manager has been there a long time as well as some of the staff…they know their residents and their ways.”

Staff said, “It’s a nice and good place to work because of the supportive team, positive atmosphere, and focus on resident wellbeing. My manager encourages development and teamwork.” Another said, “The home maintains good standards and we have strong teamwork. Families and visiting professionals often compliment the care provided here, which makes me feel proud to work at Bramwell.”

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.

All staff, visitors, professionals and families we received feedback from, spoke incredibly highly of the registered manager, particularly their compassionate leadership style.

A family member said, “They are brilliant, it is the staff and the way the home is managed, the manager has got the balance right and runs a tight ship, they are on top of everything and are approachable, my parents both find [registered manager] approachable too.” Another said, “All the staff are fantastic, the leadership makes the place, the manager runs it, she has high standards and they are met. It is good leadership from the manager and the seniors.”

Staff said, “You can knock on the manager’s office with your issue at any time, she will give you time and a listening ear. I can't ask for better managers than what I have now, they are all very good and supportive.” Another said, “Our manager is an excellent leader who always greets us with a smile and makes the team feel valued. She’s approachable, patient, and willing to listen no matter how busy her day is. She leads by example, supports us when challenges come up, and creates a positive atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable asking for help or sharing ideas.”

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

The registered manager had an open-door policy but also held staff, resident and family surgeries on set times, they said, “having it set they know they are not disturbing me and that I’m expecting it."

There was a whistleblowing policy in place that staff were aware of, in addition information was on display to guide people on how to speak up and feedback both internally and externally.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Staff fed back to us numerous personal examples of how they felt valued and included by the registered manager who respected them and ensured they received equal opportunities, despite any difficulties they may have been facing, which enabled them to continue in their role.

Staff said, “The manager is open-minded, listens to staff and ensures that any concerns raised are addressed promptly.”

Staff, without exception, all stated they felt very strongly supported by the service and in particular the registered manager. Staff said, “The home provides support for staff, opportunities for training and development, and encourages staff to gain skills and progress in the care field.”

Staff felt included and valued, this was evident by the majority of staff having worked at Bramwell for many years. They appreciated each other and the management creating a culture of fairness and equality. The registered manager was recognised by the local authority as a leader by recently receiving the Champion of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-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 registered manager had clear and effective oversight of all areas of the home, they completed an in depth daily walkaround and ensured any identified actions were addressed promptly. This included spot checks on call bell responses and charts, such as repositioning, had been completed appropriately and correctly.

In addition, audits covering all areas of the home and care provided were carried out regularly. The provider carried out monthly compliance visits from which an agreed action plan was developed and actions delegated to appropriate staff which were then followed up on. These audits had identified the issues we found with MCA assessments and people’s end of life care plans and were in the process of being addressed.

The registered manager 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.

Professionals who worked with the service fed back to us about the positive working relationship they had with Bramwell. The registered manager understood their legal duties to share information with partners, such as statutory notifications when certain incidents occurred.

The registered manager had built strong links with the local community, for example the local fire and police service who had attended events at the home. The people living at the home also got involved in fundraising and donating food to the local community support centre.

The registered manager had an exceptional approach to learning lessons and continuously improving the quality of personalised care. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.

The registered manager focussed on getting the little things right, innovation does not necessarily need to be technological, however through creativity the registered manager ensured a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Ensuring every member of staff had a responsibility as a champion and focusing on putting them quite literally in the shoes of the people they cared for.

The service had embraced the falls prevention campaign of "call don’t fall", the registered manager got staff focused on shoes, glasses and frames, by getting them to practice with dirty glasses, ill-fitting shoes and walking with frames. Since this workshop there had been a significant reduction in falls, with only 3 falls in a month in a home of 93 people, the majority of whom are independently mobile.

Staff said, “Our work is discussed, we reflect on good practices, if any bad practice arises, it is noted and addressed immediately.I can say that every day we are supervised because our manager goes round the whole home every day twice or three times at random. If she sees any problem she corrects us immediately, sometimes even demonstrating good practice, for example, serving food to residents, making rooms tidy and smart. Making sure residents are taken care of effectively.”