Ryefield Court

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. The service was previously registered under a different legal entity. This is the first assessment for service since it was registered with this provider. 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 developed a positive and inclusive culture at the service. People using the service, staff and relatives were happy with the way the service was managed and run. Staff understood the values and visions of the organisation. Comments from staff included, “I love working with older people and it gives me a sense of purpose. I feel like I am caring for my own grandparents” and “There is a good bond with colleagues and resident.” The registered manager told us they were proud of the staff and the overall care. They explained the company had clear management structures and support systems. They told us. “We make sure people are at the centre of our care. We have developed a falls strategy to prevent falling, have partnerships with others, keep our residents fit, active and happy through personalised support and activities.”

The provider employed capable and inclusive leaders. The registered manager was experienced and knew the service well. Staff, people living at the service and relatives spoke positively about the registered manager. Comments from staff included, “[Registered manager] and [senior staff] are very supportive and always available to provide guidance; their door is always open” and “I have a good working relationship with the manager.’’ One person using the service told us, “The manager is very good. [They] are very visible and spend a lot of time talking to us.’’ A relative commented, “The manager is lovely. Really helpful.”

The registered manager was supported by a team of senior managers who regularly visited the home to offer guidance and audit the service.

An external professional commented, “I have no concerns regarding the home, I find it well led. The manager has an open-door policy and I feel able to discuss any issues with [them] and [they] work with me to address these issues.”

The provider had systems for staff to speak up and share their concerns. Staff were aware of these and told us they felt confident doing this and that their feedback would be acted on.

The provider valued diversity and inclusion in the workplace. They employed a deaf member of staff who worked with an interpreter. They had also supported other staff to learn sign language to help them communicate with each other. The staff team included staff who were fasting for religious reasons. The provider supported them to take time off if needed and to undertake lighter tasks if they felt they needed this. There were rooms for staff to pray in private and they were given time for this. One member of staff explained how the management team had supported menopause awareness and developed personalised support plans for staff who needed to take breaks because of symptoms.

The provider had organised for staff to undertake mental health first aid training to support them to recognise their own mental wellbeing needs and the needs of others.

The provider had initiatives to show staff appreciation and reward good practice with gifts, recognition awards and sharing successes.

The provider had effective systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service. These included a range of audits by staff, managers and external auditors. However, the provider’s systems had not been effective in identifying where improvements were needed with the way medicines were managed. Following our visit to the service the registered manager took action to make improvements. During our assessment we also identified some other concerns. We discussed these with the registered manager who sent us evidence they had addressed these issues the following day. They had introduced new systems and checks to help make sure improvements were sustained. We were assured these systems would minimise the risks of the issues being repeated.

The management team developed action plans when improvements were needed. These were monitored and reviewed. The provider’s governance systems included asking stakeholders for feedback and responding to this. There were regular management meetings to discuss the development and future of the service.

The staff worked in partnership with others. The registered manager was the member of a number of networks and groups, including a local safeguarding partnership, as well as information sharing meetings with other care providers and the local authority.

The provider gave regular support to several charities within the local community and organised for dementia coffee mornings and bereavement support groups.

The provider had systems for learning, improvements and innovations. The registered manager regularly met with other managers and senior leaders within the organisation to discuss best practice, changes in legislation and to share lessons learnt. The staff took part in workshops and learning within the home, local authority run sessions and as part of the provider’s learning strategies. These workshops included discussing best practice around fall prevention, supporting staff to understand about sight loss in care homes, work around good end of life experiences, and improving nutrition and hydration for older people. The provider also produced podcasts for staff about key topics of interest such as neurodiversity in the workplace, fostering positive cultures, mental health and environmental sustainability.

The registered manager organised for local healthcare teams including therapists to provide training including experience training to help staff better understand people’s needs.