CQC ratings
the next CQC inspection. However, this might seem like a daunting task and inflict stress and pressure on staff. Breaking it down into manageable goals and smaller targets helps to focus staff and create a sense of unity within the workforce as they cooperate together to achieve one common goal. Individuals who feel like they are contributing to a team are likely to feel more appreciated, therefore increasing morale. If they can see the fruits of their efforts, it seemingly makes their hard work worthwhile, and urges them to continue with their efforts until the end goal is met. For instance, a small goal could be aiming
to employ two new recruits every month to help fix staffing issues, which is a tangible goal that follows the SMART principles (meaning a goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Or perhaps focus on the five key criteria that will be assessed during a CQC inspection: safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership. You could break these down to focus on a different element each week/month, meaning you can directly tackle the issues raised and make improvements in the areas that the inspectors are most likely to notice. By ensuring things are evidently getting better, bit by bit, each week, it allows staff to see the journey and excites them about the improvements and for what the future holds. The increased oversight helps to keep staff on the right path, track their progress, and ultimately keep spirits up.
Include staff in decision-making After a report, there will always be points to action and decisions to be made. Open the doors for staff to be included in this decision-making and make them feel valued – especially those longstanding staff who have weathered the storm of changing CQC ratings. These staff are at the forefront of the day-to-day running of the home, and they feel first-hand the impact and consequences of a negative CQC report. Including them in some business decisions will help to tap into their knowledge of the home from the ground level and make them feel appreciated and trustworthy. Not only that, a happy, engaged
workforce means better decision-making, greater creativity, and higher morale, all of which impact how your employees interact with everyone – from the residents, their families, the inspectors, and even among themselves. Care homes are places that allow an individual to continue to grow and should not be a place where life comes to a
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standstill. Therefore, bringing people into the conversation with different ideas and insight can help gain a fresh perspective on the task or problem at hand, and tackle it head on with a united front, allowing for growth to continue.
Be realistic – it will take time Rome was not built in a day, and neither is a good care home. When seeking to make improvements within a home, you have to accept that it is going to take some time to achieve. If you can set accurate expectations and paint a picture of what might lie ahead, you are already halfway to winning the battle. Too much pressure and unrealistic time
constraints can lead to undue stress, which ultimately affects work performance. However, that is not to say to get rid of deadlines altogether as, if used correctly, they can be motivational and aspirational. It is about finding the right balance, and understanding your workforce, knowing what they are likely to achieve and in what time frame. Have a conversation with each staff member and examine their working schedule over the coming weeks and months to figure out how long a task is likely to take, and if they are able to accommodate their caring duties alongside building in improvements outlined in the report. By setting small goals, with staff
included in the decision making, and a realistic time frame, everyone will be clear in their expectations and united in knowing what is to come.
Be honest
The road to improving a CQC rating is never straightforward and there will undoubtedly
be several hurdles to overcome on the way. Due to the nature of the industry, these hurdles are most likely to be high staff turnover or removing an underperforming manager, which then subsequently leaves a home understaffed or without guidance for a short while. Sometimes things will get worse before they get better, and the best thing to do in this situation to keep staff morale high is to be honest. Clear, honest, and accurate
communication with staff will lead them to have confidence in their management, confidence in themselves, confidence in knowing that these issues have been identified and are not going unnoticed, and confidence that they can be part of the solution.
A lack of honesty leads to uncertainty, and uncertainty can be destabilising. This is where further problems arise – if staff become uncertain about their leadership, whether that is management or board level, they can become uncertain about themselves and their role. These doubts can spread, and quickly snowball, undermining morale and motivation and undermining the community culture within the home. Be honest about your struggles and failures and be honest in your successes and wins. Adopting a sense of positive realism within the workplace means facing your difficulties without denial, as well as enjoying the peaks that follow. Combining both a visionary and realistic way of thinking helps to communicate the plan of action for getting back to, or staying on, the right track. This helps to reassure the workforce that no matter how difficult
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com March 2023
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