Covent House

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 management and staff ensured the service put people first and focused on their needs, wishes and aspirations.

The provider encouraged people and relatives to give feedback and make suggestions to help drive improvement and ensure the service continued to meet people’s needs. People and relatives were invited to attend regular meetings where information about the service was discussed and shared.

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.

People, relatives and staff were involved in the running and development of the home. The provider consulted with key stakeholders through a variety of methods, to capture their views and make inclusive decisions. Staff felt enabled to make suggestions and share views about the service and felt listened to. A staff member told us, “I can raise issues during team meetings or directly with management. They do listen, and I usually receive feedback, which makes me feel valued and part of the team.”

Relatives spoke positively about the manager, who was new in post. A relative said, “The new manager is very good indeed. She comes round every day and asks everyone how they are. She’s here till late and is working very hard.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. People and relatives knew how to raise their concerns and felt able to do so. A relative told us, “If you want to raise something, it is easy to do. I reported a problem. The manager did something about it and (resolved the matter). She was on the ball.”

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 provider had appropriate policies and procedures to support staff and promote equality and diversity within the workplace. The provider made reasonable adjustments to individual working conditions, to enable staff to do their jobs and support people effectively and consistently.

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.

At the time of assessment there was not a registered manager in post, the new manager had submitted their application and was in the process of registering with the Commission.

The provider had effective governance systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service. The manager carried out regular walkarounds of the home to check the quality of care being provided to people and the safety of the environment. The manager, senior staff and regional quality, compliance and governance staff carried out regular audits. These covered key areas such as medicines management, safeguarding, health and safety, and care planning. Where improvements were identified, action plans were developed and progress monitored to ensure they were completed.

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.

A health professional told us, “Since the commencement of [Manager], I have found [Manager] has been very happy and keen to work with Community Challenging Behaviours Service. On two recent home review visits [Manager] has hosted and offered a wide range of relevant and appropriate information with useful feedback. She has encouraged colleagues to join her with our review processes to ensure we have a balanced and wide range of information and feedback to work with.”

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

The manager ensured staff were supported to keep up to date with developments in best practice. A staff member said, “I feel incredibly supported the manager is fantastic and very encouraging of the staff. She has had a few meetings with staff and she’s very inspiring to get the best out of everyone.”