Archived: Solent NHS Trust

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

There was a clear vision for the ward based on the trust’s overall strategy. Senior managers were visible on the ward and staff felt confident they could approach them with concerns. The trust actively promoted inclusion and diversity. There were robust governance structures in place so that ward issues could be escalated when needed. The trust has ensured environmental sustainability is part of their overall vision.

Some staff told us that it would have helped their adjustment to working in the United Kingdom if the trust had provided more support with everyday life.

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 trust had a clear vision and values based on a strategy, that staff understood. The trust had a simple document, Our Vision and Strategy, that clearly outlined the trusts vision, values, mission and strategic priorities.

Maples ward was part of a wider plan for inpatient wards, this plan demonstrated how they were applying the trusts strategic plans to these services.

Leaders with responsibility for Maples ward have the right knowledge and skills to ensure the ward provided high quality care to the patients. Ward leaders and senior managers had worked in similar services and were aware of the challenges that front line staff must address on a daily basis. Staff told us that leaders were visible on the ward.

Staff told us that leaders were approachable and that they were happy to raise any concerns they had with them. For example, staff had flagged possible safeguarding concerns to senior leaders and we saw that they had taken appropriate actions which included, improved staff training and closing the ward to admissions.

Staff knew there was a freedom to speak up service that they could contact if they needed to raise concerns. Most staff told us they knew how to contact the freedom to speak up guardian. Staff who were unsure who to contact told us that they were comfortable with raising concerns directly with the ward manager and senior managers.

The trust had an equality and diversity strategy in place. The trust's objectives for reducing inequality included making it easy for the different communities the trust served to access their services. Recruiting and retaining people from diverse communities and offering all staff access to training to achieve their potential.

The trust actively recruited staff from overseas. Staff we spoke to said they had a good induction programme but felt they could have had more support relating to adjusting to living as well as working in the United Kingdom.

There were effective governance processes in place that meant local issues could be identified and then escalated when required. The ward had local governance meetings that fed into the inpatient governance meeting and then to the trust wide quality assurance meetings.

The local Mental Health Inpatient governance structure was arranged to cover the broad areas covered by CQC inspection reports, Safe, Well-led, Effective, Caring and responsive and covered subjects relevant to these areas. For example, the caring meetings covered subjects including patient community meetings, staff wellbeing, complaints and compliments.

The trust actively built links with the communities it provided services to. It had a five-year engagement strategy in place that was designed in partnership with people from the local community. The trust’s strategy was designed to move the trust from a “doing to, to a doing with organisation.”

The strategy’s goals included, making it easier for diverse communities to access the trust’s services and valuing and respecting people who use services as individuals. The provider had embedded the strategy into the trust governance structures and vision, to ensure the board had good oversite of their progress against the set goals.

The trust is committed to learning and quality improvement. The trust sends staff a monthly online newsletter that outline current initiatives across the organisation and how this affects the local ward. Quality improvement initiatives have included nicotine replacement therapy and how this can be effectively used to improve health and encourage patients to stop smoking.