Church View

Who the service is for

The service supports people with a primary diagnosis of mental health. People live in small groups that share a kitchen, lounge and dining area. This helped to create a familiar home environment where people had opportunities to develop daily living skills and staff supported people in a person-centred and flexible way.

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 2 September 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

Risks associated with people’s care were identified and managed to keep people safe. Support plans included risk assessments which detailed risks and how to mitigate them. Leaders involved staff in learning lessons when things went wrong and identified and implemented improved practices together. People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who were trained and competent in the safe administration of medicines. Some people were supported to self-administer their medicines when this had been assessed as safe for them to do so. The environment was predominantly clean, and regular checks were in place to ensure both the building and any equipment was safe and complied with guidance. Safe recruitment processes were in place to help the management team recruit suitable staff. Staff received appropriate training to help them carry out their roles effectively. Staff told us they felt supported. One staff member said, “I like the way the service is managed. Everyone is friendly and enjoys coming to work.”

Systems were in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Staff received training in safeguarding and knew how to recognise abuse and take appropriate actions to keep people safe. People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were applied for and overseen appropriately. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions, and they had choice, control and freedom over their lives. Staff understood the MCA and knew how to involve people in decisions about their support. One staff member said, “I make sure people have choices and are involved. Any changes are recorded in their support plans.”

People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the service and at regular intervals. People were involved in planning their care and support. Staff understood people's needs and worked with them to achieve their goals. We saw staff gaining people's consent prior to carrying out care tasks. External professionals were complimentary about the support people received. One external professional said, “Staff are knowledgeable and experienced and especially working with individuals with complex needs and who have resided there [Church View] for a long period of time. They are able to predict their needs and ensure these are met.”

Staff provided a friendly and homely environment where people felt safe and supported. People complimented staff for their dedication, patience and kindness. Social stimulation was provided by an activity co-ordinator and staff. People had access to the community and took part in social events both in and out of the service.

People received support from staff who understood their needs and promoted person-centred care. Support plans reflected people’s wishes and goals. People were supported to design their bedrooms how they liked them, with personal possessions and familiar items. Staff were focused on ensuring people received a service tailor made to suit their needs. One staff member said, “The positivity of staff impacts on people who live here. [They are] knowledgeable about people's needs and risk involved in their care.” One external professional said, “I have noticed that staff at Church View are keen to promote and maintain residents’ independence where possible, encouraging them to access the community when appropriate to do so and spending 1:1 time with them to do this.”

Staff and people felt involved in decisions about the service and were provided with many different forums where they could voice their views. People and staff felt listened to and valued.

The management team were visible in the service and demonstrated an open and transparent management style. Staff and people felt at ease to approach the management team and spoke about them operating an open-door policy. One staff member said, “It's like a family here. The management team are interested in you, and all are fantastic. We all support each other and people living here.” Governance systems were effective in identifying areas for improvement and taking action to address them. This helped people receive consistently good care and support.