Brimley

Brimley provides accommodation and personal care for up to six adults who require personal care. The service specialises in providing care for both younger and older adults with a learning disability and/or autism. The home is a large bungalow in a quiet cul-de-sac in a residential area of the seaside town Exmouth in Devon.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The management team and staff genuinely cared for the people they were supporting. They offered a truly caring approach and were proactive in addressing inequalities and prejudices which impacted on the people they were supporting. For example, they had gone the extra mile to advocate for a person to remain at Brimley when their physical and mental health had deteriorated, arguing the person was still able to enjoy a good quality of life with people and staff who knew them well.

The service was well led. The provider’s ethos was promoted by the staff team. This was a commitment to a society where “everyone has equal access to the same rights and opportunities.” The management team demonstrated an open and transparent management style and were fully engaged with people and staff at the service. The registered manager had steered the service through a significant period of upheaval, including a change of provider, policies and processes. Improvements were ongoing and informed by best practice. Quality assurance systems were being reviewed to ensure the continued quality and safety of the service and continued to drive improvement. Environmental improvements were in progress to enhance people’s quality of life.

We identified an issue with documentation, related to recommended fluid intake for one person. This had no impact on the support provided to the person and feedback from health professionals was overwhelmingly positive. The registered manager acted immediately to address this issue ensuring the persons health needs were reviewed and met, and the documentation was accurate.

Staff promoted people’s privacy and dignity, enabling them to make choices and have as much control and independence as possible. They worked hard to facilitate communication, supporting people to identify goals, express their views and take an active role in their community.

Staff knew people exceptionally well and were skilled at responding to their needs as they changed. Feedback from a visiting health professional stated, “People are supported to live their own lifestyle within the home and accommodations and adjustments are made according to the residents changing needs.”

Staff received training and an induction which gave them the skills and knowledge they needed to support people safely and effectively. They worked closely with external health professionals, seeking out more specialist training to allow them to meet people’s needs as they became more complex. The management team were proactive in their own continued professional development, using their learning to improve their leadership skills and develop the staff team.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection:

The last rating for this service was good (published 26 September 2017). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has changed. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.