Bourne Bridge House

We gave the service 48 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us. We needed to make sure relevant staff were available and records were accessible.

We assessed the service against, ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability, respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

People were supported by a consistent staff team, who knew them well and knew how to support their needs safely. There were enough staff, and staff were responsive to people’s needs. Incidents, safeguarding concernsand complaints were analysed and lessons learned to reduce future risks. People received the support they needed with their medicines. Support with medicines was monitored to ensure safety and effectiveness.

The provider demonstrated an integrated approach with clear networks across health and social care to meet people’s needs. They strongly advocated for people to overcome any barriers and receive the right support from external agencies.

The registered manager had a clear commitment to the service and the people they supported; they were a visible and hands on presence within the service. Staff felt well supported by the registered manager.

Concerns were identified which demonstrated that systems for identifying, escalating and responding to environmental risks were not always effective. While the registered manager had recognised the need for improvements through their oversight and monitoring processes and had raised these concerns with the provider, prompt action had not been taken to rectify known issues. As a result, people continued to be exposed to environmental hazards for longer than necessary, increasing the risk of harm and negatively impacting their living environment.

The provider was in breach of legal regulations in relation to safe premises and equipment.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.