St James' Park Care Home

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 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. 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. We found there was a positive approach to ensuring continuous development of the service. There was a range of policies and procedures to guide staff on what was expected of them in their roles.

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. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. The provider and manager had a clear commitment to providing person centred care and valuing people who lived at the home and the staff team. Staff spoke highly of the registered manager. They said, “[Registered manager] is very approachable and supportive not just with the residents and visitors but also with staff. We have seen lots of positive changes being made and the care home has improved massively. She creates a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels respected and valued.”

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The provider had a speak up process in place and staff knew how to use it. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable and they felt comfortable to speak to her if they had any concerns. They said, “[Registered manager] is kind, approachable, supportive, organised and efficient. I would feel comfortable talking to her about any issues that I had. She always puts the welfare of the residents and staff first.”

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. Managers identified when staff needed any additional support and responded flexibly. Staff told us they felt valued and listened to by managers at the home. They said, “[Registered manager] is very flexible and adaptable when it comes to shifts and the rota. Sometimes I may have a childcare issue, and she is able to support me and change my shift when needed. [Registered manager] is an excellent manager, and I am so glad she came to St James’ Park Care Home as the home has gone from strength to strength.”

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. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate. The management team were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. The home had clear arrangements for accountability and improvement using a range of audits to monitor quality and identify areas that could be improved.

The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement. Staff worked closely with other agencies to ensure people's needs were met. Staff worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. For example, the home had strong community links with local schools and the local church. The registered manager was part of registered managers networks and actively engaged to share learning and improvements.

The service 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 contribute to safe, effective practice and research. The provider facilitated a monthly learning meeting where learning was shared between all the providers homes to ensure a strong culture of continuous improvement. The registered manager told us they would describe their culture as, “Caring, kind, open and honest. We are always learning and have a learning and development team always on hand to support us with additional training when we need it.”