We carried out a review of the data available to us about Brook Court on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Brook Court, you can give feedback on this service.
Brook Court is a supported living service providing personal care and support for people with a learning disability and / or autistic people. Support was provided to five people who lived in their own flats within a purpose-built house.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us that they felt safe and this was reinforced by relatives. A relative told us, “They are all kept safe and well.” Staff understood risk, they were confident in raising concerns and demonstrated an understanding of individual risks, triggers and contingencies.
There were enough staff, and all had been safely recruited. Some people were supported with their medicines and this was done by trained staff with appropriate records being kept. Infection prevention and control measures were in place and the registered manager had followed government guidelines throughout the pandemic. Accidents and incidents had been recorded, investigated and any learning shared with staff.
People’s care and support needs were assessed and regularly reviewed. Staff received training and refresher training in all areas relevant to meet the needs of people. People’s health and social care needs were met, and the staff worked with other statutory partners and professionals to achieve this. People were provided with choices in all aspects of their lives and peoples capacity to understand the decisions they were making had been considered.
People were supported in a caring way by staff that knew them well. People’s privacy was respected, and independence promoted in all aspects of their lives. Staff told us how important respecting people’s dignity was and treating people in the way they would like to be treated.
Support for people was person centred. Staff and the registered manager, who had only been in post a few weeks, knew people and communicated with people in a clear, supportive way where what was said was understood. Pictorial and photographic images were used around people’s homes to help with understanding and all staff had received training in Makaton. Makaton uses hand signs and gestures to represent words. People led full lives with many activities available daily. A transparent complaints procedure was in place. Discussions had been held with people about their care towards the end of their lives.
There was a positive culture at the service promoted by the registered manager. Everyone spoke well of the registered manager who had quickly established themselves at the service. The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities under the duty of candour. Auditing processes were in place and a system for securing feedback from people, relatives and staff was used.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right support:
Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence. People enjoyed living in their flats and had a range of activities and personal items available to them. People were supported to engage in a range of activities each day and people’s independence in all aspects of their lives was promoted.
Right care:
Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People could live their lives how they chose and were supported to achieve this safely by staff key workers who took responsibility for people’s needs. People lived in their own flats and their privacy was respected.
Right culture:
Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using the services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. Staff told us they were passionate about providing the best care for people. The service was relaxed, friendly and people knew each other and the staff team well. Relatives confirmed this positive style and told us that communication between the service and loved ones was good, relatives being kept informed of people’s day to day life events.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 25 November 2019 and this was the first inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.