Heathside Retirement 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 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.

The home was calm and relaxed through the 2 days of the onsite assessment. There was a consistent staff team in place with a shared vision to provide person centred care responsive to people’s needs. This culture was reflected in the feedback we received from people, families, staff and visiting health professionals.

A relative told us, ‘[Relative] has been here over a year now and it is first class. The staff are attentive and alert to the needs of everyone and there always seem to be enough staff around. I come in every day weather permitting, so I see the place a lot and its consistently very good.’

The senior management team actively invested time to listen and engage. There was a strong sense of trust between the senior team and staff.

The provider 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 feedback we received about the management team was very positive.

People told us, ‘It does seem to be a settled staff team. Since I’ve been here the faces have all been pretty much the same. The manager is lovely. They are very easy to talk to and always available’ and ‘The manager is very approachable. They are helpful and always try to sort out any problems.’

A visiting professional told us, ‘They are always kind and respectful to me. People are always treated with dignity and respect as individuals.’

Staff told us the senior team were both supportive and approachable. They told us, ‘The registered manager really looks after you, you can approach them with anything. They are kind and understanding.’

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff received training in safeguarding and whistleblowing. They reported an open culture and an open-door policy where they were encouraged to report any concerns. They were confident the registered manager would respond appropriately, and they told us they had no concerns about any unsafe care or poor practices.



The senior management team was fully aware of their responsibilities under the Duty of Candour. The Duty of Candour is a regulation which all providers must adhere to. Under the Duty of Candour, providers must be open and transparent, and it sets out specific guidelines' providers must follow if things go wrong with care and treatment.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

The staff team was diverse and came from a range of backgrounds. They told us they felt supported and we received no feedback about any unfair treatment.

The provider 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 acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The registered manager was aware of their legal responsibilities and notified the CQC and local authorities appropriately when required. There were robust arrangements for the availability, integrity and confidentiality of data, records and data management systems.

Regular monthly audits were in place to provide oversight of key areas such as medicines, care plans and infection control. There was a learning culture, and actions were identified for any shortfalls found. Policies and procedures were in place to support compliance with legislative requirements.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

There were strong and effective relationships in place with local health and social care professionals to support good care. Staff and leaders were open and transparent, and the feedback we received from people, families and visiting professionals confirmed this.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcomes and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The registered manager attends the registered managers network. This provides opportunities to share best practice and to access resources from Skills for Care who also attend. Skills for Care is the strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England.

The home had good relationships with the local authority commissioning team and a commissioning officer has attended their carers forum.