St Josephs

Who the service is for

The service provides support to people who have an acquired brain injury, a neurological disorder and/or a physical disability.

Our view of the service

Our assessment was carried out between 17 September 2026 and 23 September 2026 as part of a Return to Good assessment. Throughout the assessment, people consistently told us they were happy living at the home, felt safe and were cared for by staff who knew them extremely well. People described staff as caring, approachable and committed to helping them live fulfilling lives, while relatives consistently told us their family members were safe, well cared for and achieving positive outcomes.

People benefited from support delivered by a stable and committed staff team who had developed strong, trusting relationships with them. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's histories, preferences, aspirations, communication needs and support requirements and used this knowledge to provide highly personalised care. Care plans were detailed and reflected a thorough understanding of people's lives, relationships, interests, emotional wellbeing and what mattered most to them.

People were encouraged to make decisions about their day-to-day lives and remain as independent as possible. They were able to make choices about their routines, meals, activities and future plans, and were supported to pursue interests and opportunities that were meaningful to them. Staff consistently focused on enabling people to do the things that mattered most whilst managing risks safely and proportionately.

We observed warm, respectful and person-centred interactions between staff and people living at the home. People told us staff listened to them, provided reassurance when required and supported their emotional wellbeing. Staff themselves spoke with genuine warmth and affection about people they supported and demonstrated a strong commitment to helping people live happy and fulfilling lives.

Staff worked effectively alongside healthcare professionals to monitor people's health, wellbeing and changing needs. Records evidenced ongoing review of physical health, nutrition, mobility, skin integrity, long-term health conditions and emotional wellbeing. Staff sought specialist advice promptly when concerns were identified and adapted care to ensure support remained effective and responsive. Relatives spoke positively about communication and described staff acting quickly when people's needs changed and ensuring appropriate healthcare input was obtained.

The registered manager demonstrated excellent oversight of the home and an in-depth knowledge of the people living there. Governance arrangements were comprehensive and included daily, weekly and monthly monitoring systems, medication audits, clinical reviews, environmental checks and health and safety oversight. Records demonstrated issues identified through governance processes were acted upon and used to drive improvement. People received their medicines safely from trained and competent staff, with regular audits and competency assessments providing ongoing assurance. Safe recruitment practices were in place, with appropriate pre-employment checks completed before staff commenced employment. Staff consistently described leaders as approachable, supportive and responsive and told us they felt listened to and valued. There was evidence of a positive culture where learning, accountability and continuous improvement were embedded throughout the home.