Introducing The Exemplar Way - building a culture of continuous improvement
By Matthew Blain, HR director at Exemplar Health Care (July 2025)
At Exemplar Health Care, our mission is simple: to make every day better for the people we support. And to do that, we know we need to create the right environment for our colleagues too - one where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to make a difference.
That’s why we’ve launched The Exemplar Way - our organisation-wide approach to embedding a culture of continuous improvement across all of our care homes.
We’ve developed this approach in partnership with the Virginia Mason Institute (VMI), global experts in healthcare culture and transformation.
It brings together proven tools and techniques to help us consistently deliver safe, high-quality care - and gives every colleague the confidence and capability to speak up, share ideas, and drive change.
What is The Exemplar Way?
Put simply, The Exemplar Way is how we work together to keep improving - every day, in every home, and in every team.
It’s built on a foundation of strong leadership, structured problem-solving, and standardised tools that support learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
One of the first changes we made is to introduce daily ‘huddles’ in every home - short, stand-up meetings that build on traditional handovers to encourage team communication, quick decision-making, and shared accountability.
At Scotia Heights in Stoke-on-Trent, these huddles have already had a real impact. The team there have seen a reduction in resident falls, and colleagues tell us there’s a stronger sense of teamwork and shared purpose.
A new way of thinking
Our journey to The Exemplar Way started last year, when our senior team visited University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
We saw first-hand how VMI’s approach had transformed care in the acute hospital setting - and we came away inspired by the idea that with the right support, culture, and leadership, real change is possible.
We knew we could adapt this thinking for adult social care - and that doing so could make a real difference for the people we support and our colleagues.
Scaling change across our homes
We’re now embedding The Exemplar Way across all our services, with support from regional Centres of Excellence. These homes act as hubs of good practice, providing hands-on advice and support to others.
We’re also investing in our people through the Exemplar Health Care Academy.
The Academy offers a clear leadership development pathway through four programmes - Aspire, Engage, Accelerate, and Inspire - tailored to support colleagues at every stage of their career.
Our senior leaders have already taken part in the ‘Leaders 4: Inspire’ programme, which focuses on building strategic leadership skills and leading transformational change. This is a key part of how we’re making The Exemplar Way sustainable for the long term.
Looking ahead
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far - and even more excited about what’s still to come.
The Exemplar Way isn’t a one-off project or a checklist. It’s a mindset. A way of working that brings out the best in our people so we can provide the best care possible.
We’re on a journey, and we know there’s still lots to learn. But by working together, learning from each other, and staying focused on what matters most - we’ll continue to make every day better.
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