Fordingbridge 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant the service was mostly consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 71 (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.

Since taking up post the registered manager had worked to create a more inclusive and person-centred environment for people to live and work in. This was confirmed by feedback we received from people using the service, relatives and staff.

There was a positive culture at the service. Staff told us they enjoyed their roles and felt supported by the provider. One staff member said, “It’s [the culture] better; the atmosphere has changed here.”

Another member of staff told us about the household model of care that was being introduced on the ground floor. This model involves a person-centred approach, empowering staff and providing people with personal choice and meaningful activities within a smaller-scale living environment. The member of staff said this was working well with residents and staff, “More like a team, we get to know residents more.” They also told us, “Managers and nurses are hands on and always ready to help.”

Not all staff said they attended regular staff meetings. For example, comments included, “We’ve not had many staff meetings. I think the last one was [registered manager] saying she's leaving” and “I don’t think we've had a staff meeting for a while, but I would go.” The registered manager confirmed they were planning to leave and that a new manager had been recruited.

Relatives were positive in their comments about the culture at the service. For example, “It seems to be well run. It has a nice atmosphere, and the open day was really well organised. The manager and senior staff are always visible in the home, very approachable and do listen to me” and “It’s a very happy home. Staff are very welcoming and helpful.”

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.

Staff spoke highly of the registered manager. One staff member said, “[Registered manager]; her door is always open, and we can ask for a chat. Because she is a nurse, she is very involved. She knows all the residents by name and condition. She is hands on.” Another member of staff told us, “(Registered manager) frequently asks to make sure staff are clear about roles and responsibilities.” Staff also felt well supported by the clinical manager who was the registered manager’s deputy in the day to day running of the service.

People and their relatives confirmed the service was well run. External health professionals who provided feedback were positive about the skills, knowledge and experience demonstrated by the staff they worked with.

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

We observed a positive, open and supportive culture in the home. Feedback from people, relatives, staff and external health professionals confirmed this.

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.

One staff member said, “This feels like a good organisation to work for. The pay is good. We get paid breaks, a free meal on duty and the managers are very supportive of us.

Other staff told commented about how the management team encouraged staff to be proud of and celebrate their individual cultures, for example bringing in food, celebrating Diwali, and holding an Easter fete for people and their families. They said they thought there were plans for more cultural days for staff. They told us managers were fair and supportive.

The provider did not always have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability or good governance. They did not always act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, or share this securely with others when appropriate.

Systems and processes to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service were in place and mostly operated effectively. While we found there were areas for improvement within the service, the provider’s continuous improvement plan showed actions were taken when shortfalls in service provision were identified.

We saw records monthly clinical governance meetings, which were used to analyse audits looking for trends and patterns, exploring ways to reduce risk to residents and enhance resident wellbeing. There were also records of flash meetings demonstrating a focus on maintaining people’s wellbeing and acting in response to any issues or concerns.

Concerns and complaints were taken seriously and acted upon in a timely manner in line with the provider’s complaints policy. A record of concerns raised by a person’s family on 10 March 2025 showed the registered manager had met with some of the family and provided a written response on 14 March 2025, addressing each concern.

People had a good relationship with the registered manager. People told us they could raise concerns and were confident they would be dealt with. The registered manager was aware of the need to be honest and transparent in the event of certain notifiable events, and when to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of specific incidents affecting the health, safety and welfare of people using the service.

Staff confirmed they received supervision, in which roles and responsibilities were discussed. Staff felt involved and were able to make suggestions for improving the service, during team meetings.

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.

Feedback from managers and staff, and from external health professionals, confirmed there was effective collaboration and communication between services.

The provider’s continuous improvement showed a community engagement and networking meeting with the activity team had been scheduled for 02/05/2025. The purpose of the meeting was to plan upcoming events and community engagement activities for the May–August 2025 period, with a focus on developing partnerships with local organisations, enhancing resident involvement, and promoting community visibility.

An annual residents and relatives, and employee, satisfaction survey carried out by the provider in 2024 indicated a high level of service user and employee satisfaction at Fordingbridge Care Home.

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.

Nursing staff said they took part in monthly clinical governance meetings where incidents and accidents, falls and wounds for example, were reviewed in detail. One nurse said, “Lessons learned are shared. Plus, we have the daily meetings, and we go through falls, incidents and accidents, any new bruising, or skin tears, and we have to explain how it happened.”

The registered manager had overseen the development of the team of activities staff. They told us the provision of activities had previously been lacking and not so person-centred. One of the benefits was that people were now better supported to access the local community and surrounding area.