Brookside
- Care home
- 22 beds
- No nursing
- Registered since 2014
- Kempston, Bedford, East of England
Requires improvement
Rated on
Rating from the Care Quality Commission.
At a glance
4 ratings
Its last inspection moved it down from Good to Requires improvement.
5 months
since the latest rating was published.
14 of 69
rated care homes in Bedford are rated Requires improvement, like this one.
Brookside: inspection record
Rated Requires improvement in May 2026, down from Good.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||||||||||
| Safe | ||||||||||||
| Effective | ||||||||||||
| Caring | ||||||||||||
| Responsive | ||||||||||||
| Well-led |
Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: George Beal House (Good, 0.3 miles away) and Bedford House (Good, 0.5 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- G George Beal House Good, 0.3 miles away
- G Bedford House Good, 0.5 miles away
- G Rivermead Good, 0.6 miles away
- G Lavanda Villa Good, 0.6 miles away
- G Bedford Lodge Good, 0.6 miles away
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 18 May 2026 (assessment visit 26 March 2026). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of assessment: 31 March to 10 April 2026.
Brookside is a care home supporting autistic people, people with a learning disability or dementia. There were 18 people living at the service at the time of our assessment.
- Safe No rating
- Effective Good
- Caring Good
- Responsive Good
- Well-led No rating
Read the rest of CQC's summary
We assessed the service against 'Right support, right care, right culture' guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
We found 2 breaches of the legal regulations concerning safety and governance.
We identified incidents that were potential safeguarding concerns that had not been reported. Risks relating to the environment were not always well managed. Staff had not received all training relating to the health needs of the people they were supporting. Topical medicines such as creams were not always managed safely. People’s hydration needs were not always monitored.
However, staff had a good understanding of people and the risks they could experience. Staff received regular supervision and told us they felt supported by leaders. Staff understood the importance of seeking consent from people. We observed staff and leaders interacted with people kindly and respectfully. A staff member said, “I enjoy my job, I like the people and I like the work.”
-
Safe
No rating
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.
At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.
The service was in breach of the legal regulation in relation to safe care and treatment. The provider had not always ensured safe medicines administration, staff training, management of people’s health risks and environmental safety.
-
Effective
Good
Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.
At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has remained good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.
-
Caring
Good
Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
-
Responsive
Good
Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.
At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.
-
Well-led
No rating
Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
Questions to ask when you visit
- Safe was rated Requires improvement on 18 May 2026. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
- Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 18 May 2026. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.
- Ask to see the most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report and what the home did about any points in it.
Registration details
- Registered manager
- Sarah Grodde
- Registered with the CQC since
- What it provides
- Care home service without nursing
- Who it supports
- Learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, Older People, Physical Disability, Sensory Impairment, Younger Adults
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)4 inspection reports, latest 5 May 2021. Latest assessment published 18 May 2026; the Care Quality Commission's newer assessments are published on its website rather than as reports.
The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.
Who runs it
- Provider
- Bedford Borough Council
- Ownership type
- Organisation
Bedford Borough Council runs 8 services, all in the East of England. 5 are rated Good or Outstanding and 3 are rated Requires improvement or Inadequate.
Other services run by Bedford Borough Council
- G Assessment and Enablement Team Good. Home care, Bedford
- G George Beal House Good. Care home, Bedford
- G Parkside Good. Care home, Bedford
- G Puttenhoe Good. Care home, Bedford
Getting help from Bedford Borough Council
The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.
- Adult social care at Bedford Borough Council
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 01234 276168, Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4pm
- Contact adult social care online
- Support for carers
- Paying for care: Bedford Borough Council
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does Brookside provide nursing care?
- No. The Care Quality Commission lists Brookside as a care home without nursing.
- How many beds does Brookside have?
- The Care Quality Commission's register lists 22 beds at Brookside.
- When was Brookside last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Brookside was published on 18 May 2026.
- Who runs Brookside?
- Brookside is run by Bedford Borough Council. It runs 8 services, all in the East of England.
- What is Brookside's CQC rating?
- Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 18 May 2026.
Contact
- Phone
- 01234 852324
- Address
- 99 High Street, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7BS Map (opens Google Maps)
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: George Beal House (Good, 0.3 miles away) and Bedford House (Good, 0.5 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- G George Beal House Good, 0.3 miles away
- G Bedford House Good, 0.5 miles away
- G Rivermead Good, 0.6 miles away
- G Lavanda Villa Good, 0.6 miles away
- G Bedford Lodge Good, 0.6 miles away