Cobalt Health

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

We assessed 3 quality statements in the well led key question and found areas of good practice. The scores for these areas have been combined with scores based on the rating from the last inspection, which was good.

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.

We did not look at the shared direction and culture question during this assessment. The scores for this quality statement are based on the previous rating.

The provider had recently undertaken a staff restructuring process. Staff we spoke with felt this move had signaled a significant culture change and described a great reset throughout the business. Leaders fully understood the challenges to quality and sustainability and could identify the actions needed to address them. The staff explained the service was very active in research projects, both clinical and non-clinical and showed us evidence of multiple past and ongoing research projects the service was involved in across all modalities. There were clear priorities for ensuring sustainable, compassionate, inclusive, and effective leadership, and there was a leadership strategy which included succession planning. Staff at all levels had a good understanding of the governance systems and how things were fed up and down. Everyone could explain the management structure and knew who they reported to. All staff we spoke with had recently had a one to one as part of the post management restructure which focused on wellbeing. succession planning/talent management.

There were appropriate leadership arrangements in place to support improvement of services. The provider ensured that all staff underwent appropriate checks as required by Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Staff regularly took time out to work together to resolve problems and to review individual and team objectives, processes and performance. There were systems to support improvement and innovation work and processes for evaluating and sharing the results. The service had recently developed a strategic timeline to implement and support all the recent changes to the management structure, roles and accountability. There were positive and collaborative relationships with external partners to build a shared understanding of challenges within the system and the needs of the relevant population. Services were planned and delivered to meet those needs. There was transparency and openness with all stakeholders about performance. The service had very close working relationships with the local trust and other trusts it provided mobile services for.

Staff felt proud to work in the organisation and reported an improved culture within the service. Staff spoke positively of the management restructure and found leaders were now visible and approachable. Leaders and staff understood the importance of being able to raise concerns without fear of retribution. Managers used processes to encourage and open and honest culture at all levels. Staff felt confident their concerns and ideas were listened to and would shape the service provided. The freedom to speak up route had been used to raise concerns about discrepancies in policies. Senior leaders had reviewed the information and aligned the polices to ensure they were equitable.

Staff were actively engaged regarding the well-being of workforce. Staff views were reflected in the planning and delivery of services and in shaping the culture. The provider had a policy and procedure in place for Freedom to Speak up. This document outlined the role of the freedom to speak up guardian, support and advice available, how to raise a concern internally and to an outside body, and who to raise concerns with. Senior leaders explained they were planning on setting up a staff forum.

All staff we spoke to felt they were treated equitably. Leaders took action to prevent and address bullying and harassment at all levels and for all staff, including those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act and those from excluded and marginalised groups. Staff we spoke to all felt the recent restructure had moved to address and remove this culture and all staff felt they were now valued and heard within the organisation. Following the restructure, managers at senior and middle level had reached out to all staff to check in with them in advance of formal appraisals. Themes and concerns from these check ins were fed back to the senior team for oversight and to feed into the future people plan and staff wellbeing initiatives. Leaders ensured there were effective and proactive ways to engage with and involve staff, with a focus on hearing the voices of staff with protected equality characteristics and those who are excluded or marginalised, or who may be least heard within their service. Staff described managers being open and compassionate when they had experienced adverse personal incidents outside of work and had supported them to be safe and healthy at work. We did not meet any staff with a disability as part of this inspection.

The Charity states that it actively strives to have a diverse and inclusive workforce in a working environment free from discrimination, aiming to promote an inclusive work culture where people of different backgrounds are valued equally. Everyone who acts on the Charity's behalf are required to adhere to this policy when undertaking their duties or when representing the Charity in any other forum. The section outlines staff responsibility and entitlements, the role of management, recruitment of offenders and career development. The document also outlines the procedure for complaints about discrimination. We found leaders ensured there were effective and proactive ways to engage with and involve staff, with a focus on hearing the voices of staff with protected equality characteristics, those who are at risk of being excluded or marginalized, or who may be least heard within their service.

We did not look at Governance, management and sustainability during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Partnerships and communities during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at the learning, improvement and innovation question at this assessment. The scores for this quality statement are based on the previous rating.