Bluebells Care Home

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• 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 if the service was well led. We found significant improvement in the management and oversight of the service. The registered manager had worked to develop the staff team and improve the culture within the service. Staff and people were now involved in making changes within the service. The registered manager had developed relationships with outside organisations who had become involved with the service and people.

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.

Staff described a shared goal of ensuring people were well cared for and their individuality was respected. One staff member told us, “We have a person centred culture, staff work together to do things in the way people want. We support people’s choices such as when to have a drink and where to eat. This has positively impacted on people”. They described how one person was more relaxed now restrictions placed on them by the previous management team had been removed. The person was able to have as many drinks as they wanted and had a snack box so they could eat when and where they wished. One staff member told us the culture at the service had improved and staff no longer worked against each other, but supported each other to provide the best care they could. Another staff member told us, “The staff work well together, we all get on and help each other. Everyone wants to get the home to a good standard”.

The provider had a mission statement for the service to promote an open culture and to meet people's needs. There were systems in place to help staff understand the goals of the service and how these would be achieved.

Staff were involved in providing feedback about how the service provided care. The feedback was positive and highlighted the improvements made since the change in leadership. Staff expressed how they had been supported to recognise their skills and to develop these to support people when reviewing their care, wellbeing and communication needs.

There were effective systems in place to recruit staff safely. The provider had completed checks on potential staff to make sure they were of good character to work with people. Staff received an induction and their competency was checked to make sure they were safe to provide care to people.

The provider told us since our inspection in June 2023 they had worked hard to develop a rapport with staff and build staffs’ confidence to raise any concerns with them. Staff had been reminded of the whistleblowing policy at staff meetings and supervisions. The registered manager was available at any time to discuss any staff concerns and would meet them away from the service if this was what staff wanted. Staff told us the registered manager had clear bounders and expectations of staff. Staff told us they were now confident to raise any concerns they had with the leadership team. A staff member told us’ “I used to feel scared to raise concerns with the management team. There has been a big change for the better”. They told us they were confident the nominated individual, registered manager or deputy manager would act on any concerns they raised. The leadership team were confident they worked well together to address any concerns and escalate them as required. All the staff told us the previous blame culture had been replaced by a learning culture and they were confident to tell a member of the leadership team if they had made a mistake. A staff member told us, “I’m no longer scared to speak to the management team. If I make a mistake, no one shouts, we learn from it and I develop”. The registered manager said, “The staff are open and honest and I appreciate that. I am open and honest with them and together we look for solutions. I work with them”. There was an open culture at the service and people’s relatives and friends were welcome to visit whenever people wanted. Since our June 2023 inspection action had been taken to increase the involvement of friends and relatives in social occasions at the service including parties and meals.

There were now effective systems in place to encourage an open and transparent culture. The provider had reviewed their relationships in the work place policy. Previously, staff who were related had worked together and this had caused issues around staff speaking up. The policy now stated staff who were related or in a relationship do not work together to make sure a similar situation did not occur again.

The management team told us they had worked hard to make sure all staff were treated equally as this had not happened in the past. They described to us how they had supported staff who felt they had been discriminated to feel confident. All the staff we spoke with told us they felt supported by their colleagues and managers. They described to us how the team supported them if they wished to take longer holidays abroad visiting family and respected their cultural and spiritual needs. One staff member told us staff from different ethnic and cultural back grounds, “Have educated me. We learn from each other”. Another staff member said, “Some staff have come out of their shell (since the change in management) and now fit into the team”. Staff were given the opportunity to join people in taking part in religious services. For example, staff who wish could attend mass and take holy communion. Staff had recently completed training around menopause and action had been taken to support staff. For example, additional breaks when staff felt hot, and the installation of a cold water station, which they felt had benefitted everyone. The registered manager had introduced exit interviews with staff who resigned to understand why they were leaving and discuss any improvements that could be made to the service.

There were effective systems in place to support staff from different cultures and backgrounds. The provider had policies in place to support this goal, which was confirmed by staff.

We did not look at Governance, management and sustainability during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

The registered manager was part of the local Skills for Care registered managers network and attended meetings and learning opportunities. They told us this gave them the opportunity to share good practice, develop new skills and discuss concerns. For example, the group had discussed the delay in receiving the outcome of safeguarding investigations and the potential for this to delay the implementation of any learning. On the day of our inspection the management team were attending a conference on staff retention and sickness management. They had also attended training sessions around relevant topics such as infection prevention and control and safeguarding. They described to us how training around the recruitment of overseas staff had improved their record keeping. The management team were also booked to attend the next local authority registered managers' conference, which they attended annually. This gave them the opportunity to meet other managers and providers as well as hear about changes and innovations in health and social care.

The feedback from partners was positive, in the way management and staff had worked with them and were keen to learn and develop.

There were systems in place to support people to be part of external groups and enjoys visits from groups including from the local school. The registered manager had recognised how important these connections were for the wellbeing of people.

All the relatives we spoke with told us staff worked well with visiting professionals to improve their loved ones care and treatment. One relative commented, “They work well with everybody”.

Staff confirmed improvements had been made. A staff member told us “Big changes have been made for the better”. Another staff member told us, they learnt from the management team who were “professional”. Staff confirmed they now meet with their line manager regularly to discuss their development and were completing a recognised qualification in care and felt supported.

The provider and registered manager had made significant improvements to the quality of the service since our June 2023 inspection. All restrictions on family visits had been removed and family members had been invited to attend meetings, share their experiences, feedback and suggestions. Surveys had also been sent to families inviting them to share suggestions. The provider had a system of checks and audits in place. An action plan was in place based on the outcomes of the audits. A development plan was also in place which covered improvements to provider had planned for the service, including reviewing the care planning system to ensure it remained effective.