Argentum Lodge

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 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 had an organisational ethos to provide high quality of care. This was underpinned by 6 core values of, ‘dignity, independence, choice, rights, privacy and fulfilment.’ The ethos was described in the resident’s welcome pack, embedded in the staff induction programme and displayed in the service.

We observed staff delivering care and support in line with these values. A staff member said, “The aim for all residents is that we meet their needs, the residents come first.”

The manager had developed a clear vision and culture for the home to work towards. They had shared their personal biography with their team and gave examples of how they promoted their vision for the service. Staff told us they worked well together as a team and there was a positive culture. One staff member said, “At Argentum as staff we are part of one big system that aims to give our residents the best life they can possibly have, whether we work in the domestic team, as activities or the manager.”

Relatives were very positive about the teamwork and culture at the service. Relative comments included, “The staff, from the Manager down, whether they are carers, support, cleaning or activity staff, all work so well together and create a warm friendly, homely atmosphere for all the residents” and “The staff, facilities and atmosphere all showed professionalism, great care and kindness.”

The service 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.

Managers were very involved in the day to day running of the service and it was clear they were passionate about the service. Managers demonstrated detailed knowledge and genuine compassion for the people they supported. They were dedicated to ensuring people received person-centred care. The registered manager provided various examples of how they had ensured staff understood people and their different life experiences and the difference their care could make. They explained how they used workshops to develop empathy amongst the team. For example, using practical examples and role play to promote understanding and empathy for people’s lived experiences.

The registered manager attended local networks to gain insight into wider areas of health and social care. Managers and clinical staff were supported by the providers quality assurance and management teams, who visited the service regularly.

We saw managers speaking compassionately with relatives during our inspection.

We received a large amount of feedback about the management team from staff and people’s relatives. Many of whom contacted us independently as they wanted to share their positive experiences.

Relatives were very positive about the support they had received from the manager. They told us they were very approachable, and they could speak to them when they wished to. The service had also received a large amount of compliments and positive reviews on an external care website. Relative comments included, “The lovely thing is, they get very involved, which I think is nice” and “The manager is extremely approachable and helpful. They have been really supportive with the various issues we have faced.”

Staff were also very positive about the registered manager’s leadership of the service and the management’s team approach to supporting the staff team to provide effective care and support to people. Staff comments included, “My line manager and management in the home is second to none” and “Since taking on their role, [manager] has brought a new energy, focus, and compassion to the home. The atmosphere is noticeably brighter, more consistent, and more supportive for both residents and staff.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The service provided staff with a handbook which included information on how to raise concerns or complaints and how to escalate these if needed.

The provider had a freedom to speak up policy in place which was accessible to staff. Staff understood the importance of speaking up and confirmed they were encouraged to speak up in team meetings, and they had received relevant training to support this. Information reminding people of how to raise any concerns was displayed in the home.

Managers promoted a culture of being open and honest. Staff told us they felt confident to raise any concerns about the service they had. Comments included, "If I have any concerns, I can speak to the deputy manager or manager. I see the deputy manager more, but I would feel comfortable to go to the manager, they are approachable” and “I do feel confident to raise any concerns I can tell the nurses anything I'm concerned about and they will pass on to the manager”.

The provider strongly 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 feedback indicated they felt they were fairly treated, with support provided to grow and develop through training and qualifications. Staff enjoyed working together as a team.

Staff from different backgrounds told us they were well supported by their colleagues and the manager to feel included and a part of the team.

The manager had arranged an event in the home where staff shared their cultures with residents, families and relatives. They told us this had been positive in sharing information about different cultures with residents in an informal way. Staff also told us this had been an enjoyable event. Staff from different departments in the service told us they were treated as equals and felt respected and supported in their roles.

One member of staff told us “Since [manager’s] arrival, there has been a noticeable positive shift in the work culture They have made inclusivity a priority not just in words, but through actions such as implementing a respectful environment, encouraging open dialogue, and ensuring that all employees are treated fairly.”

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.

The service had displayed its CQC assessment rating on their website and at the service as required. The provider had a business continuity plan, to guide staff in emergency circumstances. The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the duty of candour and had notified CQC and the local authority of reportable incidents.

The manager completed a range of quality monitoring systems and audits. These had helped identify where actions were required and areas for improvement. The manager used a matrix to provide them with oversight of their audit schedule. Identified actions were completed immediately where possible or were transferred to a service improvement plan for the manager to oversee their completion. The management team identified and monitored risks within weekly clinical governance meetings. Staff team meetings were also held regularly. The manager monitored the completion of any actions which arose. There was effective oversight by the provider, and an internal quality team was also available to provide support. Staff were clear about the expectations of their role and told us the service was organised and well-managed.

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 service encouraged partnership working and advocated on behalf of people to ensure they received effective health care. Managers and staff had developed effective working relationships with external professionals, this included general practitioners and mental health community teams.

Health professionals were positive about how the manager and staff team collaborated with them. One health professional said, “There is always a nurse available to provide a recent summary or provide this information over the phone. I have also found that if there are any changes in presentation and nurses feel our input is needed, they have been pro-active in requesting this.”

The activities team had developed strong local community links, this included trips out in the local area’s beaches and garden centres, and local schools also visited and sang to and spent time with people.

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 manager had created a holistic care and emotional well-being action plan, this recorded specific actions to drive improvements in the service for the people who lived there.

The manager recorded case studies which gave examples of how the team had supported people to return to live independently in the community or reduce their prescribed medicines.

The manager and staff team were focussed on their learning to improve the service people received. For example, regular group supervisions were held to support learning lessons, reflection and problem solving. Staff completed additional relevant training. Recently staff had completed positive behaviour support training, and training to use evacuation equipment safely.

The manager worked in collaboration with other organisations to improve standards in care provision in both the home and the wider healthcare community. For example, they had taken part in a community research project exploring the after effects of the covid vaccine. They had also recently signed up to be a part of an adult social care research project called Vivaldi, which aimed to improve the quality of life for people living, visiting, and working in care homes, while also reducing the risk of infections and avoiding hospital admissions.