Susan was engaged to turn around a medium secure site that was significantly underperforming. Another site in the group had more than 50 compliance issues identified by CQC and this one was suspected to be much worse. The possibility of closure was very real and Susan was in a race against time to improve performance before the regulator visited. Her remit focused on clinical challenges but would also embrace a whole host of issues right across the supporting functions. For example, there were more than 145 facility defects that would also need to be addressed in short order.
Morale was extremely low yet Susan’s review revealed that one weakness, more than any other, had led to the situation: a lack of accountability amongst staff. She’d never seen so many action plans where no-one was responsible for any of the actions. This was universal, across all functions, but particularly acute within the nursing teams. There was no supervision and no appraisal system. The nurses proved highly resistant to change, their heckles had been raised by previously heavy-handed attempts at effecting change but Susan would prove different. She was able to win their trust, overcome their objections and enable accountability.
Systematically, Susan worked right across the site to embed structure, accountability and a process for change and improvement. All compliance issues were addressed, the facility defects resolved and action plans not only held individuals accountable but were being carried through. The CQC visit saw no requirements and only 4 recommendations. Susan’s impact has been felt right across the business. One sign of the value that she delivered is that the Group decided to appoint a permanent post holder to continue to oversee the business functions of the site to whom Susan transferred her knowledge and skills before exiting.
The Operations Director commented: “She brought professionalism to the site and a strong organisational and structural approach throughout the business too. She has helped us immensely and has improved our processes considerably throughout her time here.”
