Simon Marks Court

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 manager had a clear vision for the care and support they wanted people to receive. They told us they wanted people to have the best quality of life possible and to be able to develop their skills. Staff echoed this ethos and worked in a way that maximised people’s quality of life and independence.

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 manager was competent and committed to providing high quality, inclusive care to people. They led by example to ensure their ethos was put into practice by all staff. During our inspection visits we observed staff supported people to be included in conversations and activities. One family member commented, “It’s well managed, it really flows. The manager and deputy are approachable and are very good, easy to get on with. She is a lot more alert here because she is with other people and is more stimulated because of the activities. I would recommend the service because staff are very friendly and on the ball with everything. They keep us up to date.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff told us how well they knew people and were confident they would know if people were not happy. Staff told us they would take time to understand and address any issues raised by people. All staff spoken with said they would be confident to raise any issues with the registered manager or a representative of the organisation.

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. Staff felt fairly treated. Staff members comments included staff commented, “Staff are totally fairly treated.” I feel listened to and respected by the management team.”

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. There was a staffing structure at the home which gave clear lines of responsibility and accountability. The manager and provider carried out audits and checks to identify shortfalls in the service and drive improvements to the care and support people received. There was a continuous action plan in place which enabled progress to be monitored.

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. Leaders and staff had worked with people and their representatives to build a culture that focused on enabling people to enjoy their lives. This included supporting people to continue to have meaningful relationships with friends and family.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation, and improvement across the organisation. The manager had good oversight of the action plans in the service and priorities for improvement. They made sure staff received ongoing support and training in their roles and promoted a positive, team culture. The manager’s response to incidents and concerns was open and honest and demonstrated a willingness to share learning with the staff team to help avoid similar incidents in the future.