Magnolia House

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

We assessed all quality statements within the well-led key question. We found improvements had been made since the previous inspection. The service was no longer in breach of regulations relating to the management of the service. This meant leaders and the culture they created supported the delivery of good quality care. Systems were in place to monitor quality, with learning and action taken to address any shortfalls. There was a capable and compassionate management team who, with staff, fostered a culture that delivered good quality care for people in partnership and with external professionals. People, family members and external health and social care professionals told us the service was well led.

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 providers 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. The providers were open about the past difficulties they had which resulted in the previous rating. It was evident they were working hard to improve the service to provide people with safe, effective and person-centered care. Staff were all positive about working in the service and felt that it was an inclusive and supportive environment for them and the people who lived there.

The provider had an equal opportunity policy and actively promoted an open and inclusive culture. The services values were detailed within a family promise, a copy of which was provided for all staff and available in the entrance area for visitors. External health and social care professionals told us the management team was responsive and they felt able to raise any concerns to them and were confident action necessary would be taken.

Staff were confident about the leadership of the home. A staff member said, "I wake in the morning happy to come to work knowing should I need support all I have to do is pick up the phone.” Throughout the inspection the management team demonstrated a good knowledge of the people living at Magnolia House, showing they had taken time to get to know them individually. Although there was no registered manager at the time of this inspection the manager had submitted an application to CQC to commence the process to becoming the registered manager.

The management team were inclusive leaders who understood the context in which care and support were provided. They had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. The management team actively sought input and advice from external professionals. CQC were notified of significant events. The previous rating was displayed. There was a duty of candour policy in place. Visitors were made welcome.

All staff told us they knew how to raise concerns and were confident if they spoke to the management team, action would be taken. Throughout the inspection, the management team were open and transparent and described how they promoted an open culture where they wanted people, their family members or staff to raise any concerns, so they could look at ways to resolve them. All staff said they would be happy for family member to be at the home.

There was an inclusive and fair culture providing equality and equity for people and staff. There was no evidence of closed cultures. The management team carried out regular staff surveys and analysed this to be able to take action where needed. They also completed surveys of people and their relatives’ views. They were open and transparent about any areas needing improvement and took prompt action to do so.

All staff were positive about working at Magnolia House. The management team valued diversity in their workforce and promoted an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for those who worked for them. Staff told us they felt supported in their role and understood what to do should they witness any discrimination.

There was an equal opportunities policy which identified how staff should work to ensure there was a fair and inclusive culture. Appropriate systems were in place to support staff who may be at risk of workforce inequality. The management team provided examples of how this had been used to support specific staff.

The management team (head office and at Magnolia House) understood the challenges the service had faced and ongoing actions required to ensure good quality sustainable care. External professionals’ input had been welcomed and enhanced governance and quality monitoring processes had been put in place since the previous inspection. Staff felt able to raise any suggestions or concerns with the management team and were confident any necessary action would be taken.

People’s care records and all risk assessments and audits were on electronic systems. This enabled the management team to monitor and identify where action was needed. Records reviewed demonstrated this ensured good oversight of risks, systems and processes. Survey’s with people, their family members and staff had been completed in the last year. We saw the analysis of these surveys, which showed effective monitoring of people's lived experience was in place and action taken where needed.

People and their family members told us communication with staff and the management team was good. They told us they were kept informed about any changes in people's needs or if there had been any untoward events such as falls. For example, one family member said, “I’m always kept informed”. People and family members knew who the management team were and said they could speak to them about anything they wished to.

Staff and the management team were positive about their links with local health and social care teams. They expressed an open positive attitude to receiving support and understood how and where they could access support from.

External professionals were all positive about the staff and management team at Magnolia House. They told us the staff team sought advice and support in a timely way, to meet the needs of people living in the service. One external professional said, “Magnolia House will contact me and use our team as a resource should they have any concerns or seek advice when unsure of anything and have been open and transparent in my experience.”

Regular collaboration and partnership relationships helped ensure that services worked seamlessly for the benefit of people. Visitors (family members or external professionals) were prompted to provide feedback following every visit via an electronic system which was monitored by the management team enabling prompt action to be taken if required.

There was a learning culture within the home which meant staff, people and their family members were encouraged to provide feedback about ideas and the development of the service. The manager kept up to date with best practice and told us they were supported by the provider to ensure they could deliver up to date care and support for people. They engaged positively and worked collaboratively with external professionals to ensure they could consider any improvements or innovation.

The management team had good communication skills and processes in place which enabled them to monitor and review where improvement was needed and how they could achieve this. Since the last inspection improvements have been made and new policies, procedures and quality assurance processes had been introduced. These have resulted in an improvement in the overall quality and safety of the service and demonstrates organisational learning and continued improvement. There were clear processes for reviewing all accidents and incidents to ensure any learning was implemented and people's risk assessments and care plans updated when needed.