The Limes

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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated 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 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. People and staff were supported by the management team to share the culture of the service where everyone mattered. The provider values were at the centre of everything. A member of the management team said, “We have an open culture and ensure everyone has the ability and opportunity to raise issues.”

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. People’s human rights were embraced and the service focused on how they could support people to live a good, ordinary life as part of the community. A member of the management team said, “If things need improvement, we are very professional around this. I always try to end on a positive when supporting staff to improve.” The management team recognised skills in each other and worked effectively as a team. One staff member said, “The manager is the best manager I have ever had. He's enthusiastic, encouraging and supportive. I feel supported to have my say.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. There was regular engagement with people and their relatives, and they felt listened to. Staff had access to the whistle blowing policy and told us they would use this if required. Staff also told us the management team resolved issues they raised with them and had not had reason to use this process.

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. Policies and procedures were in place to support staff and to ensure they were happy at work. Staff meetings took place often and actions were addressed swiftly. A member of the management team said, “Inclusion of staff is important so that people we support are supported by staff who want to be here.”

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. Several audits were in place to ensure the service operated within the standard expected from the provider. The management team carried out night visits unannounced, to ensure staff were providing consistently good care and support.

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 management team worked with local groups to ensure people using the service were part of their community. People had access to college and local community groups. Other professionals were involved in people’s support packages as appropriate. One professional said, “They [staff] interact with me very well and are tentative when I need information or to visit. They follow my advice and keep me updated.” Another professional said, “I am happy to see that [person] also has community access built into their daily life, and [person] is being given the chance to explore resources in their new area and start to find a place in their community.”

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 management team worked with people, their representatives and staff to build a culture that focused on enabling people to enjoy a full life. The provider was good at acknowledging where they needed to improve and were keen to learn and develop the service. The management team worked well with staff to achieve and improve outcomes for people.