Sovereign 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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. This was the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated 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 68 (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 registered manager and team had created a work ethos around putting people first and supporting individuals to lead ordinary lives. A staff member said, “We want people to have the best care possible and do everything to make sure they do.”

Staff consistently reported the manager was approachable and really encouraged them to go the extra mile. At times it was felt the communication style of the registered manager did not always set a professional tone. We discussed how the provider operated a model of promoting staff from within the company and how measures could be put in place to more effectively support staff to learn managerial and communication skills as they progressed through the service.

People did not always feel they could speak up and that their voice would be heard. On the whole people, relatives and staff were confident to raise concerns with the management team but sometimes felt these were not acted upon. The provider immediately addressed this concern. A staff member said, “I find [Registered manager’s name] is really supportive and takes on board our suggestions. Since they came into post we have seen positive changes to the running of the home.”

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 and management team valued diversity and ensured they followed best practices guidance.

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. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate. The registered manager closely monitored the service and addressed issues as they arose. For example, they had identified the practice of staff within the home cooking meals had not always led to a healthy, balanced diet. They worked in consultation with people and staff to find a solution and it was agreed they should trial having the chef from the sister home make the main meals. This had been in place for a number of months and the feedback the registered manager and we received showed the change had worked well. The management team also reviewed the effectiveness of the audits and recognised those in relation to care records needed to change to cover more about their content and application to a mental health setting.

Staff 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 professional said, “Staff always keep me informed of any changes.”

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. Staff were actively encouraged to work with people in ways which aimed to improve outcomes for them and allow each individual to experience a good quality of life. The registered manager ensured staff had access to a range of training and were supported to keep up to date with developments in best practice. A staff member said, “The training is really good and we work together to make sure it is put into practice.”