Manor Farm 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

The service was well led. We saw that the care home was well led and at the time of our assessment there had been a change in the management of the home; however, this was being managed effectively with a smooth transition led by senior managers within the organisation. We saw Robust systems were in place to support the key functions of the home and identify gaps in the delivery of the service. People told us about the processes for talking to managers and the ways in which they could raise anything of concern. We heard about the provider’s commitment to its workforce and its wish to recruit from society a staff team that reflected the cultural identity of the people living in the home.

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 home had undergone significant changes in management in recent weeks prior to our assessment. A new manager to the home had started and a staff member working within the home had been appointed to the post of deputy manager. Staff told us that in the short time of these changes the home had remained settled. They told us how they were already confident about being able to approach the manager and how it had been made clear the staff team will receive the support they needed. We also heard from managers of the home and senior managers on how they intended to continue to make the new management arrangements a smooth transition to cause the least amount of disruption as possible.

The provider shared with us the different ways in which they engaged people. We saw how feedback was obtained by the provider from key stakeholders and how this went into an overall service plan to improve the home. We also saw processes of how families and staff views were sought to improve the service delivery to people living in the home.

The manager told us how they ensured all staff were supported and supervised and how this is delegated within the management team. For the manager to be able to do their job effectively, they told us about the support they received from their manager within the organisation. We heard from staff about their positive working relationship with the new manager and we saw support to the service from another home manager and from senior managers within the organisation.

The provider sought the views of the staff team, gathering comments and suggestions made by staff working in the home which rated their progress. The provider used this information, incorporating it into their objectives for the year ahead.

Staff told us the manager was visible to staff and enquired about their welfare. The deputy manager told us staff fed back that they were happy since the new manager started and told us ‘The Manager’s door is always open’.

The staff we spoke to were able to tell us what they would do if they had any concerns. They all knew about the organisation’s whistleblowing policy, how to use it and the circumstances in which they would use it. We saw evidence of team meetings happening at different times of the day so staff working at night time as well as during the day could participate. The provider told us they also periodically surveyed staff to find out how staff were and to find out ways of improving the working conditions for the people they employed.

The staff told us they all had access to training to enable them to do their jobs and support their development. Nurses reported they received the same training as other care staff as well as specialist training to enable them to maintain their professional nursing qualification. The provider told us how they were welcoming and inclusive to all the staff across the team regardless of role.

The provider had a recruitment and selection policy which was in line with the Equalities Act 2010. They made efforts to recruit from a range of backgrounds that reflected the cultural group of the home.

The provider told us about the range of governance systems associated with elderly people and those living with dementia. They told us about how monitoring systems informed them how to provide good care to people with pressure sores. The provider also told us how they gather general health and safety information allowing them to act where required.

There was a robust system in pace for gathering, monitoring and reviewing important information about the health and safety of people. We saw systems for gathering the views of people supported, their families and staff. The home reported things that went wrong, how they addressed these and how they learned from this. The provider told us about their commitment to environmental sustainability and how they are driving towards a complete use of cleaning products that were environmentally friendly. Staff told us meetings to share information happened at the start of every day to discuss events affecting the service.

The provider told us there were regular opportunities to participate in local community events ranging from events close to the home to wider opportunities such as trips to the seaside in the summer months. The staff told us about the importance of family involvement and how the opinions of families are central to the care of people living in the home. The staff told us about the broad range of other professionals involved in people’s lives who provided a range of specialist support.

We saw other professionals from the local authority visiting the service to monitor quality and practice of the home. The provider worked closely with these colleagues, identifying areas for improvement in the delivery of care.

The provider had implemented a ‘dementia lead’ role within the home. This enabled 1 member of staff to attend specialised training to develop their skills and share their knowledge with their colleagues. The manager told us they were involved in wider networks outside of the home, working with other providers in regional programmes that identified good care. They told us about the work they have undertaken to develop the area of the home dedicated to supporting people with dementia. This included creating a space with items people could associate with the past. The manager told us how they lead their team by setting an example of how care should be delivered and how identified what good care should look like. They told us about how at busy times such as meal times all staff regardless of what their actual responsibilities are, come together to support one another, ensuring an efficient service to the people living in the home. We heard about the ways in which the home were supporting the people to have contact with their families. The managers told us how they facilitate video calls to family members to enable people to see and hear their loved ones.

Since the last assessment, the provider had made a significant investment in the property, both in terms of décor and new furniture improving the environment, giving the service a more homely feel. On the first floor we were shown a room called the ‘jolly station’. The provider had created a space in this room that was set out like a railway carriage with a table and seating that would have been found in an old-style train. On the wall above the table was a moving screen which gave the effect that people were travelling. Around the remainder of the room, we saw artefacts such as an old-style radio and a wooden coat stand with items including hats and bags that were from previous decades. The items in the room were part of the provider’s work around improving the environment and supporting engagement for people living with dementia.