Birch House

Updated 27 September 2024

We undertook this assessment of Birch House between 28 and 30 October 2024. We completed this assessment due to serious concerns identified in another of the providers services. Therefore, we carried out a comprehensive assessment looking at all quality statements in safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. We did not identify any breaches of regulation during this assessment but identified areas of improvement in assessing and recording people’s goals, decision making and choices around activities. The service continues to have the overall rating of Good. Birch House is a residential care home providing accommodation for up to 5 autistic people or people with a learning disability. At the time of our assessment there were 5 people living at the service with varied support needs including different abilities to communicate. We spoke with people and their family members and also observed staff interactions in communal areas. An assessment has been undertaken of a specialist service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Updated 27 September 2024

Right Support: People were supported to pursue their interests and take part in the activities of their choice. People’s aspirations and goals had not been identified in order for staff to support people to achieve them. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs. Record keeping did not evidence that staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. This was because care plans lacked detail in relation to people’s ability to make their own decisions and consent to their care and treatment. The service gave people care and support in a safe, clean environment that met their physical needs. Improvements were being made to ensure the environment also met people’s sensory needs. Right Care: Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. Potential risks to people’s health and well-being had not always been considered and this was addressed during the assessment process. The service had enough staff to keep people safe. However, there were variations in the skills of staff members to provide personalised care. Right Culture: Staff were aware of the risks of a closed culture and were working to ensure the aims and values of the service were consistently met. Staff knew and understood people well. Staff evaluated the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate.