Boulters Lock Residential 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 outstanding. 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 86 (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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities. Staff described a very positive culture, saying people and staff had a good rapport. One staff member said, “It’s like being part of a family… we care for each other. I love it here.”

The provider fostered a culture of learning and continuous improvement. The registered manager used supervision and regular team meetings to encourage staff to raise concerns, share views and contribute ideas. A relative said, “[Registered manager] is a great manager – very approachable.”

The registered manager told us they aimed to lead by example and encourage the staff team to reflect the provider’s values. They told us, “We are having a conference to discuss how we can all learn from each other and integrate better.” The registered manager had created a ‘Hartford care communications folder’. This contained any update in regard to the organisation, for example, job vacancies and this was accessible to the team. This allowed staff to ask questions if there was anything they were unsure or worried about.

The organisation had introduced ‘Hartford care voice’ and ‘Heart of Hartford’. Hartford Voice provided an opportunity to find out what was working well and what could improve on within the provider’s homes. It required participants to be positive ambassadors within their workplace, taking ideas and feedback from colleagues and sharing this with the group in a constructive way. The registered manager told us, “For Boulters Lock a care assistant put [themselves] forward and is speaking to staff to gather feedback ahead of each meeting and then communicating the outcomes. This has provided the staff member with personal growth within [their] role.”

‘Heart of Hartford’ was a quarterly reward in the form of a voucher, or other prize, offered to 3 winners. Winners would also be in the running for a main award at the annual conference and gala evening.

The home had been working and had achieved accreditation to the Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF). VFF helps care providers to offer appropriate support for veterans living in care homes across England. The registered manager stated, “This has been a great learning opportunity for the home, and we have gained insight in to how we can support veterans in a person-centred approach to ensure their needs are being met. This was also another great opportunity to have a resident on board as a veteran champion as [they were] able to share [their] expertise as an army [person] and gain a sense of importance at the same time.”

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment, and support, and who 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.

People and relatives knew who the registered manager was and were positive about them. Their comments included, “[Registered manager] is very nice. [They are] approachable”, “[Registered manager] is approachable and very efficient as a manager. [They] get things done and listen” and “[Registered manager] is excellent.”

Staff were positive about the registered manager and provider. They told us, “The managers are amazing. If you have any problems, you can go to the manager, [they] never make you feel bad. [They are] honestly one of the best. [They are] incredible”, “[Registered manager] is great at getting us anything we need for the job, [they] get involved and join in with everything which is great” and “[Registered manager] is amazing. [They were] my mentor and trained me. This place, I just love it. This place is my heart and soul.” They added that the registered manager put people at the centre of everything they did and led a staff team by example.

Boulters Lock and their sister home were pilots for a UK-based charity who delivers programs for supporting neurodivergent young people into employment. This enabled the provider to undertake more focussed support and training on supporting neurodiverse staff into the organisation. The registered manager said, “We have already implemented the training and skills we have gained to support staff with neurodiverse needs into employment.” They added, “We have been able to share the skills and knowledge we gained from this scheme to the wider team and have several staff now acting as mentor roles providing a huge benefit to new staff members during their induction process.”

The provider fostered a positive culture in which people felt they could speak up and have their voices heard.

People and relatives were given information when they moved to the home about how to raise a concern, and they said they knew how to make a complaint.

Staff told us they were aware of the provider’s whistleblowing policy and would not hesitate to use it to benefit staff and people living at the home. A staff member said, “We would know what to do if we had a concern. We know about whistleblowing, everything is displayed on the board” and another stated, “Head office people visit and we can speak with them if we want. We get emails so they make sure we know the procedure about what to do if we had a concern.”

The provider had some processes in place to support staff to speak up. This included supervision meetings, handover meetings, staff meetings and a whistleblowing policy. Staff had also received safeguarding training to reinforce their understanding and responsibility to speak up.

In addition to regular staff meetings, there were daily handover meetings to discuss impo rtant information, and any risks to service delivery. There were processes to support the registered manager and senior staff in meeting their responsibilities.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fairculture, which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them. The provider had policies to promote equality, diversity and inclusion and to protect staff from discrimination and harassment.

The provider recognised the importance of teamwork and effective communication. There were regular team-building activities organised, which included days out and activity-based practice within training and meetings. The registered manager told us, “I look for activities that will strengthen the team.”

The service celebrated a range of cultural occasions and festivals. For example, during ‘Care home open week’, they celebrated and learnt about a new country and its culture each day, incorporating themed lunches and activities whilst opening these days up to the wider community. Events celebrated included family days, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Valentine's Day, Mother’s and Father’s Day and St David’s Day. The registered manager told us, “When celebrating Diwali, staff came to work and dressed up in some of their cultural outfits and taught us all some traditional dances. We have also held events such as cheese and wine evenings for our relatives. This is a good way for them to get to know the team, and each other.”

There were themed lunches twice a month, decided by people. For example, Chinese, Indian, American, Romanian, and Mexican food.

The provider had built a positive, open, and inclusive culture where people, relatives and staff felt respected, listened to and valued. Staff were encouraged to speak up, share ideas, and raise concerns without fear, to ensure values were embedded into everyday practice.

The team participated in activities such as crate stacking, laser quest, and team games. The registered manager told us these activities had provided a sense of fun for the team, but more importantly, had enabled them to face fears as a team and build on trust and communication. They said, “As a manager, I was able to observe staff’s strengths and areas to improve, from this I have been working with staff in one to ones and appraisals on their self-development plans to continue to build on their skills. Since doing these activities, staff’s working relationships have improved and staff are more confident and comfortable sharing creative idea with one another to make further improvements to the service being provided.”

Staff were supported to progress and develop their skills. For example, a staff member who started as a kitchen assistant was supported to work their way up to a senior role and eventually to a managerial role within the organisation. After several years and gaining further qualifications, they were promoted to regional manager and are now a director of operations.

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.

Staff at all levels understood their roles and their level of accountability. Managers and support staff worked well together and understood how their duties impacted and supported each other.

Staff, people, relatives and external professionals had confidence in the leadership of the service. A healthcare professional told us, “The manager, in my opinion, is a major asset to the home having worked [their] way up within the organisation and [they] really do understand and appreciate both the residents' individual needs and what is required to provide them with a safe and happy environment.”

There were systems in place for monitoring the quality of the service and these were effective. Action was taken when audits identified the need for improvement. As part of the audit process, the provider’s registered managers carried out checks of each other’s homes. The registered manager told us, “This is a good opportunity for us to learn from other homes by sharing good practice, positive outcomes and lessons learnt. This is also a good way to ensure nothing goes unnoticed and ensure actions needed are being done in a timely manner, ensuring residents’ needs are always being reflected on, and their environment remains safe.”

The provider used a QR code system to enable people, relatives, and staff to report any concerns regarding health and safety and the environment. These QR codes were located around the home ensuring they were accessible to everyone, and any issues raised were closely monitored throughout every day to ensure they were resolved within a timely manner. Relatives provided positive feedback about the system.

The provider actively sought ways for the environment to be sustainable. They had a good understanding on how climate change could affect the health of people, staff, and the wider community. They had introduced changes such as staff uniforms made from recyclablematerials, the use of LED bulbs and sensors where possible, and appropriate waste management.

The provider understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked inpartnership, and the services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information andlearning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

Staff told us they worked well with health care professionals to ensure people’s needs were met. The registered managers confirmed they had a good working relationship with a range of external professionals. For example, the GP, chiropodist and the district nurses. A health care professional told us, “I think the home is very well run. People tend to be happy and well cared for and have their individual needs met. The staff team is well trained, and they manage people with care and respect.”

The provider had systems and processes to ensure people’s needs were reviewed with external professionals. The provider listened to feedback from them and, where a need was identified, amended their policies and procedures to promote effective communication and partnership working.

The home had good relationships with the local church, schools, day centres, local care providers, and charities. The local church attended the home monthly for those who were unable to attend the church and wished to do so. People were able to visit a local school for afternoon tea, school plays, and attend their annual Christmas party. The registered manager told us, “We also do lots of acts of kindness within the community such as donating old blankets and bedding to the local vets, knit and natter club making blankets, hampers, hats and clothing for the local children’s hospice.”

The provider held an annual awards ceremony where people, relatives, staff, and the wider community could vote to recognise staff for their hard work. The registered manager stated, “I am pleased to share that at the 2025 awards, Boulters Lock achieved several awards for chef of the year, activities person of the year, best newcomer and for embedding our values celebrating individuality.”

The provider had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The provider had recently invested in a virtual reality (VR) headset for people to use. This enabled them to have experiences of their choice whilst remaining in the comfort of their home and feeling safe. The registered manager explained, “This has been a creative way, especially for those are have difficulty going out to achieve some of their dreams. For example, we have a resident who is a big [Pop star] fan, one of [their] wishes was to see a concert and using the VR headset [they were] able to watch a concert giving a real-life experience.”

Another person was a football fan, and had expressed they missed watching games with her [relative] like [they] did as a young child. Due to the person’s complex needs and being cared for in bed, using the VR headset enabled them to have a tour of a football stadium and was able to sit in the stadium and watch a game with their favourite players. The resident shared, “This was amazing, I am shocked how real it felt. This was such an experience, I can’t explain it.”

People told us they were consulted individually during a review or regular conversation, to find out if they had any concerns or requests. We saw that people’s opinions and requests were taken seriously.

Staff told us the registered managers were always aiming to improve the service to benefit people, and they enjoyed being part of this. The registered manager was committed to developing the service to benefit people and the staff team.