Edward 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

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 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 service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. The registered manager showed a focused approach in ensuring people received good quality care. Equality and Diversity training was in place for all staff to complete as part of their core training and completion compliance was high. Ethnicity and religion were captured within people's care plans. Managers and staff understood the diverse needs of the people they supported and the staff they employed. Records showed that consistent and regular supervisions and appraisals were undertaken, and inclusive staff meetings were held so staff could provide feedback and contribute. Staff spoke positively about the improved culture within the home since the last inspection. One staff member said, “Nothing was right when I joined. We all got recruited to make the place better. We changed it step by step. Everyone's ideas are brought in. Documentation has improved a lot.” Another staff member said about the staff team, “There's more pride in their work. They know they're here to work, before it wasn’t like that.”

The service 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. The registered manager was knowledgeable about issues and priorities for the quality of care of the service. They appeared engaged, relaxed and confident with staff. Staff told us how the home had improved and stabilised under the direction of the registered manager and deputy manager. Staff told us the registered manager had a direct but fair approach that focused on the care people were given. One staff member said about the managers approach, “She never ever compromises with the care.” Another staff member said, “(Registered manager) is more passionate about the residents than previous managers. (She and the Deputy Manager) work together as a team and do pretty well. If something is wrong, it’s picked up straight away and we’ll put it right together.”

The service fostered a positive culture where people and staff felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff were able to raise concerns directly with the registered manager. The leadership team had carried out consistent and regular supervisions with staff to ensure that their views and feedback were heard. One staff member said, “They will ask us our opinion. They will take all our ideas and decide which is best. The ideas come from the team.” One relative said, “We feel very confident in discussing any concern with the staff and we know we can call at any time should we need to.”

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. Equality and Diversity training was in place for all staff to complete as part of their core training and completion compliance was high. The provider had a full Equality and Diversity policy in place. Staff confirmed that they felt they were treated equally within the service. One staff member was supported to have flexible working and provided with a safe space to pray when they needed to. Staff were permitted time off if they chose to celebrate religious holidays or festivals. One staff member said, “We have a mix of cultures here, so I feel especially supported.”

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. Quality assurance systems were in place to maintain oversight of people’s support and improve care delivery. Quality checks were undertaken on areas such as infection control, medication, falls, safeguarding, pressure area support and mealtime experiences. A review of statutory notifications as part of the assessment showed that leadership were clear and prompt with their regulatory requirements. Statutory notifications are events that the provider is required to notify CQC of. Confidential information relating to people at the home was held securely with protected digital systems or locked cabinets when in hard copy. Staff undertook training on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The service 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 and registered manager had utilized the specialist support provided by professionals outside of the service. Appropriate referrals for specialist and health support had been made in a timely manner with professionals such as SaLT (Speech and Language Therapists), Community Nurses, GP surgeries and Dieticians, and guidance was incorporated into people's care plans and support. One professional said, “They are happy to engage with me and accept support and advice, plus they always seem to know what is happening with the residents when I ask about a particular one.” Another professional said, “Care has improved under their guidance.”

The leadership has shown a consistent approach to improving the quality of care at the home. Since the last inspection, further improvements had been made and embedded. Staff we spoke to were positive about the progress the home has made in the period since the last inspection. One senior staff member said, “It's now run like a home - it's nothing like it was when I first started. It started when (the registered manager) started. Staff know what they have to do.” Another staff member said, “Everything has got better. A lot of changes in the house which is much better.” Improvements and consistency were acknowledged by professionals we spoke to. One professional said, “Things have improved since (name) became the manager and having (name) as the deputy has been valuable from a visiting nurse perspective.” Another professional said, “Overall, Edward House has improved, and they have worked hard to make changes, they obviously care about the residents there and want what is best for them.”