Castle Dene

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

Leadership was visible within the home, feedback received during the assessment about the management team was positive, confident and reliable. Robust policies and procedures underpinned all processes to ensure safe operation. There was a strong connection with external professionals and partners to ensure people’s needs were met. Community links were established and there was an ongoing drive to develop these links further. People, their relatives and staff had confidence in the management of the home and felt involved in decisions. The registered manager had made all necessary notifications, referrals and information sharing as required.

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 and registered manager had a clear vision for the home. Everyone knew the direction the home wanted to go in, the registered managers vision was clear to all.

There was an emphasis on teamwork and everyone working to the same outcomes. There were clear and varied processes in place to ensure continual improvement. The provider actively sought the views of people and their families through individual meetings, surveys and telephone calls.

People, their relatives and staff were complimentary about the leadership of the home. The registered manager had the right knowledge, skills, and experience to lead the team. Some of the comments were, “The registered manager [name] and deputy manager [name] are very approachable, they are warm lovely people”, “The registered manager [name] and deputy manager [name] are really supportive. If I need anything or have a concern, I can speak to the registered manager [name] about anything”, “The registered manager [name] is fantastic, they really understand people. If you have a problem, they really listen. Whether they are having a good day or bad day they make time for you” and, “I love it here, it is happy. The staff get on well. The registered manager [name] and deputy manager [name] are really good at supporting us as staff which makes us a really good team.”

Staff knew how to raise concerns and access support, there were clear procedures in place. Staff were consulted through individual meetings and ongoing conversations.

Staff knew how to raise concerns and speak up; they were aware of the various channels available to them both within the home and through the provider. Staff were confident in the registered manager and provider to address any problems they had.

Policies and procedures in place supported staff in speaking up and raising concerns. This included up to date policies in relation to safeguarding and whistleblowing. Posters displayed within the home gave staff options to contact someone outside of the home itself if they needed to raise concerns.

Staff told us they were happy and felt accepted by their colleagues and the registered manager. People and their relatives told us Castle Dene was a happy place to be, they told us this was due to the staff team, the atmosphere and the openness of the management team.

Policies and procedures were in place and incorporated all aspects of recruitment and staffing such as retention plans, equality, diversity, fairness and protected characteristics.

Management at Castle Dene was multi layered which included checks carried out on behalf of the provider. Governance and oversight were robust, well-established systems meant oversight at a provider level was clear.

A comprehensive suite of audits and checks were in place to identify areas for development. The registered manager and provider had made all notifications to CQC as required by law. A notification is the action that a provider is legally bound to take to tell us about any changes to their regulated services or incidents that have taken place in them. All audits and check produced an action plan if necessary and these had clear timescales for improvements within the home.

People told us they felt included within the community especially with events held at the home. During our assessment the home participated in a charity coffee morning. Relatives told us it was important to their loved ones to be part of the community and events happening in the world.

Staff and managers told us relationships with external professionals was of a high standard. The provider had various initiatives to integrate with the community and outside partners. For example, Castle Dene was a safe place rest stop for the emergency services, where they could rest and access drinks and snacks. We observed this in use during our assessment.

We received positive feedback from external stakeholders and professionals who work with staff at the home. We were told there were good working relationships and trust.

The provider and Castle Dene worked to continue and establish new community links.

The registered manager and provider told us about the ways in which they were continually looking to improve the home. This included being proactive in identifying shortfalls through their audits and checks.

The registered manager and deputy manager were available to people, their relatives and staff. Overwhelmingly feedback about the management of the home mentioned both the registered manager and deputy manager. They told us they had safe systems and worked well as a team. They understood the importance of continual improvement. The registered manager was confident in the providers systems and their own responsibilities to provide effective oversight of the home.