• Care Home
  • Care home

Snowdrop House

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Baldock Street, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9DT (01920) 897679

Provided and run by:
Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd

Report from 13 June 2024 assessment

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Well-led

Good

Updated 19 August 2024

People, relatives, staff and partners all gave positive feedback about their involvement with the management of the service. Quality assurance checks and audits were routinely completed, in line with provider expectation, to enable oversight of the performance of the service. Feedback was actively sought, with action taken where improvements were needed or requested by people. Learning was shared with staff and checks made to ensure that any changes were made and improvements in practice embedded.

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.

Shared direction and culture

Score: 3

Staff felt the whole team were engaged in helping people live their best lives. A staff member said, “We all work hard as a team and our management are always there when we need them. I love working at Snowdrop, the residents and the families make my day and I’ll always look forward to going to work every day.”

The service had a vision and values mission statement. This had been collaboratively created by people, relatives and staff. This was available to all. Meetings were held and surveys conducted for all stakeholders to ensure their involvement in the planning and delivery of the service.

Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders

Score: 3

Staff were positive about the culture and approach demonstrated by leaders in the home. A staff member said, “I can’t think of anything they could do better, for me everything is good.”

The provider had a system of audits, checks and processes in place to support the registered manager in their leadership and management. The regional director completed their own appraisals of the service using tools in place by the provider. This included measures of the manager’s performance and seeking feedback, to ensure the service was running safely and in line with provider expectations. We saw that all methods of obtaining feedback from stakeholders included opportunities to share views on the leadership team.

Freedom to speak up

Score: 3

Staff were positive about how the management team engaged with and involved them. A staff member said, “Staff are asked about their views and feedback.” Staff were aware of the whistleblower process in place and were confident in speaking up.

The provider had a whistleblower policy in place, with mechanisms in place to support staff when speaking up. The registered manager was able to share a lessons learnt process completed. This demonstrated how any information shared was taken seriously, investigated and an outcome shared once completed.

Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion

Score: 3

Staff felt well supported and respected by the management team. A staff member said, “I feel that I’ve had enough training and support to carry out my role, I had my competency checked, I had my regular supervision with my line manager.”

The provider had a range of policies in place to support equality, diversity and inclusion within the workforce. All staff confirmed they were provided with opportunities to give feedback on their experiences at work and felt supported.

Governance, management and sustainability

Score: 3

Staff were positive about the management and running of the service. A staff member said, “The service runs smoothly, manager or member of the management carry out spot checks regularly.”

The provider had a system of audits and checks in place which were completed by the registered manager and senior staff. These covered all aspects of the service and ensured effective oversight of performance. Any actions resulting from these were included in improvement plans and shared with staff.

Partnerships and communities

Score: 3

People told us they felt staff supported them to access other health and social care professionals. People told us when they moved into the home, they were experiencing ill health and had a poor quality of life. They said the staff, with support of healthcare services, such as physiotherapists, had helped improve their health and wellbeing. People also spoke positively of events and activities held at the service which involved partners and outside agencies which they felt enriched their lives.

Staff told us they supported visiting agencies and were provided with information and outcomes following these visits, which supported them in their work.

It was clear from feedback seen that partners experiences of working with the service was positive. The registered manager shared with us multiple examples of partnership working between services and external organisations.

There was a clear system in place to ensure partnership working with health and social care professionals, and local partners.

Learning, improvement and innovation

Score: 3

Staff told us they received frequent training, and information was shared with them to drive improvements and innovation. A staff member said, “I get information shared with me about any lessons learned from a complaint, accidents, or safeguarding. I am always kept up to date to changes to policies and legislation.”

The range of audits, checks and processes in place identified where learning and improvement was needed. Actions were recorded, planned for and completed. The quality assurance system in place included people’s experience and feedback received. Where errors were found or learning identified, this was responded to promptly.