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

Staff were aware of the values of the organisation which are compassion, respect, responsibility and honesty. They described a positive working culture built on teamwork. Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of the people they supported and spoke with insight and familiarity about their needs and preferences. The provider actively sought feedback from staff through meetings and surveys, and from people and their relatives. This created a culture of collaboration where individuals felt able to raise issues and contribute to service improvement.

The provider 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.

The management team was welcoming and demonstrated an open and transparent approach. Records of team meetings showed staff had opportunities to raise concerns. Staff told us they felt listened to and valued by the management team. Comments included, “I expressed my thoughts; they are open to anybody sharing their thoughts about what needs changing”.
and “I have been called and congratulated for an award. I won employee of the month, and management called me. This month I was given a personal gift showing that they appreciate my efforts”.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up, and their voice would be heard. Staff told us that they knew how to raise concerns and would feel comfortable doing this. A whistleblowing policy was in place, providing clear guidance on how to report concerns. Staff were aware of the policy and knew they could access an independent whistleblowing phone number if needed. Regular staff supervisions and surveys were carried out, giving staff opportunities to share feedback or raise issues. Relatives were also invited to provide feedback through surveys, supporting a culture of openness and transparency.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Policies and procedures supported an inclusive culture where everyone was respected, and differences were celebrated. Staff told us they felt treated fairly and valued.

The provider recognised staff achievements through initiatives such as ‘Employee of the Month’ and other staff awards, reinforcing a positive and appreciative workplace culture.

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.

A range of monitoring and auditing systems were in place, including feedback from people using the service, their relatives, and staff, as well as observation of staff practices. The registered manager produced a monthly operations and quality review report covering key areas such as staffing, pressure injuries, wounds, incidents and accidents, falls, medicines management, and call bell response times. Data from audits was used to identify trends, implement actions, and monitor learning, including who was responsible for follow-up and whether referrals had been made. Additional audits were carried out regularly throughout the year, including out-of-hours visits, medication audits, care plan reviews, and kitchen audits.

Where required, the provider submitted notifications to CQC and made appropriate referrals to relevant professionals and agencies.

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. The provider collaborated with a range of health and social care professionals, such as GP surgeries and the care home support team.

The service was integrated within the community it was in and was considered a valued partner by others. There were strong links with local organisations, such as community groups, churches, museums, schools, and colleges.

The provider 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 contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The provider aimed to learn from events such as accidents and incidents. Staff told us any learning from events was shared with them to improve practice and standard operating procedures. Feedback surveys were distributed to people using the service, their relatives, staff, and professionals, providing a platform for raising concerns and sharing suggestions. Records showed consistently high levels of satisfaction across all groups. This joint working approach helped ensure that people received coordinated care and support, contributing to positive outcomes for their health and overall wellbeing.