Sea Breeze

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 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 equality, person-centred care, dignity, independence, and respect for individuals’ rights, alongside promoting choice, community engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities. The registered manager and management team promoted an extremely positive and inclusive culture where person-centred care was at the heart of their ethos. Professionals, staff, and relatives commented on the positive values of managers and staff. One relative shared with us their experience following their loved one moving into the service, “Difference in homes is amazing, we hit the jackpot, it’s a perfect one”. People, their families and staff were empowered to be involved in changes and improvements to the service. For example, quality monitoring systems were established and included the views of people using the service. Their feedback was used to inform and contribute to the provider’s quality auditing processes.

Staff meetings were held regularly, and minutes showed clear links between the service’s values, people’s outcomes and day‑to‑day practice. Leaders shared audit findings, learning from safeguarding reviews and reflections from incidents with staff, supporting a culture of transparency and improvement. Staff were involved in discussions about people’s health, changing needs and goals, and leaders ensured learning from serious incidents and safeguarding adult reviews was shared and reflected on collectively. This helped staff understand how their role contributed to safe, person‑centred care. Observations and feedback confirmed staff consistently demonstrated compassion and respect, creating a homely environment where people felt safe and valued.

The provider had exceptionally 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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty. The registered manager and deputy were experienced, approachable, and proactive in supporting staff. Leaders modelled inclusive behaviours and maintained an open-door policy, ensuring staff felt valued and supported. Succession planning and staff development were evident, with opportunities for staff to complete NVQs and specialist training.

The registered manager was committed to embedding a continuous learning culture within the service. As an experienced trainer delivering a range of courses, they supported staff to develop their skills and maintain high standards of care. Staff described management as caring and responsive, fostering trust and stability across the team.

The registered manager was highly regarded by all people and their relatives. Relatives described leaders as visible, approachable and compassionate. Comments included, “The registered manager is very attentive and listens… things get done.” And “They tell us their door is always open… they are very approachable and they do go the extra mile.” There was also evidence of a compassionate culture driven by leadership, with staff going above and beyond to support people, for example a relative told us staff, “Stayed with [person] voluntarily, whilst not funded to do so.” People experienced a warm, calm and settled environment because staff were well‑guided, well‑supported, and deeply committed to providing high‑quality care. The leadership approach created a culture in which people felt secure, listened to, and able to thrive.

The service demonstrated a well‑established and strong culture of openness and transparency Staff told us they felt confident to raise concerns without fear of negative consequences. This was supported by clear whistleblowing procedures and multiple feedback routes, including regular opportunities to speak with senior leaders who visited the service frequently. One staff member said, ‘If staff have any concerns or anything that needs changing, we can talk to [senior staff].’ Staff consistently reported feeling listened to, with any issues addressed promptly.

Leaders promoted a culture where speaking up was encouraged, normalised and genuinely valued. Staff confirmed they were always listened to and that issues were acted on promptly, contributing to a workplace where people felt respected, psychologically safe and able to influence improvements. People using the service and their relatives also told us this open and responsive culture was evident throughout all aspects of support.

The provider had an easy read complaints procedure and communication and collaboration with relatives was frequent. The management team ensured everyone was treated fairly and were not discriminated against due to any protected characteristics. Duty of candour principles were well understood and consistently applied when things went wrong, with leaders being honest, apologising where appropriate, and clearly explaining what action had been taken to prevent the same issue happening again.

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. There was a diverse range of backgrounds, skills and experience within the workforce. The service had an open, inclusive recruitment procedure. Systems and processes including meetings and staff supervisions promoted a listening culture and equality, and diversity were recognised and supported.

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.

People with lived experience from across the wider organisation were actively involved in quality audits, bringing an informed and independent perspective to support evaluation and improvement of services. Systems were in place to oversee care quality, including audits, incident reporting and action plans. Incidents were recorded and reviewed, with learning shared through staff meetings. Records showed lessons learned following medicines errors, with actions identified to reduce recurrence. Audits covered several topics including emergency planning, fire safety, and data protection as well as detailed monitoring of people support needs.

Findings of audits and lessons to be learned were shared with staff to ensure they were working towards a common goal and to minimise reoccurrence following an incident or complaint. The registered manager had a good overview of outcomes of audits which were logged on the online system. There was a continuous action plan in place which enabled progress to be monitored. There was a staffing structure at the home which gave clear lines of responsibility and accountability.

The provider clearly understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

People experienced highly personalised, creative and meaningful opportunities to engage with their local community. Staff worked in innovative ways with community partners to enable people to take part in activities that were important to them, while ensuring risks were carefully assessed and managed.
For example, staff worked collaboratively with a local beautician, to support a person to access beauty treatments within a community setting. This involved detailed planning and risk assessment, including consideration of allergies, sensory needs and appropriate equipment. This ensured the activity was delivered safely while enabling the person to achieve an important personal goal. This approach supported the person to build confidence, establish new community connections and have a meaningful experience tailored to their preferences.

The provider worked in partnership with a range of external professionals, including GPs, dietitians, physiotherapists and learning disability teams. Professionals gave positive feedback about communication, staff knowledge and responsiveness.

Leaders and staff worked with people and their representatives to build a culture where living a full and meaningful life was at the heart of support. This included ensuring people stayed connected to the people who mattered most to them. Relatives gave examples of staff supporting people to attend family events or visit family homes, ensuring relationships were nurtured and maintained.

Community engagement was strong. People were supported to take an active part in local activities, for example throughout our assessment people were supported by staff to attend activities of their choice including boat trips and attending a local activity centre. This approach meant people experienced inclusive, enjoyable opportunities tailored to their interests, strengthening their sense of belonging and identity.

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.

There was evidence of learning from safeguarding adult reviews, critical incidents and complaints, with actions shared with staff. The service also used feedback mechanisms such as surveys and external audits, including people with lived experience, to inform improvement.

We also saw information demonstrating the provider shares lessons learnt from their other services and the wider sector to raise awareness across their managers and staff. Staff consistently told us they were encouraged to reflect and share ideas for improvement. Training was comprehensive, and leaders supported staff development. Staff expressed confidence in leadership’s commitment to continuous improvement.