The Bridgewater Complex

Updated 23 June 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 5 June 2023 and ended on 12 June 2023. We visited the location’s office on 5 June 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We attended the office and spoke with the registered manager and the nominated individual. (The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.)

We spoke with 2 people who used the service. We looked at records in relation to people who used the service including 3 care plans and systems for monitoring the quality of the service provided. We looked at staff training and quality assurance records. We also looked at medicines administration charts.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with a relative on the telephone to help us understand their experience of the care and support their loved one received. We also spoke with 2 external professionals who visited the service on a regular basis.

Updated 23 June 2023

About the service

The Bridgewater Complex is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to people in their own homes. It provides a service to people who have a learning disability and/or autism.

CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection, the service was providing personal care to 3 people.

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

People using the services of The Bridgewater Complex benefited from a service that provided safe, high-quality care, which focused on empowering people to live an independent life of their choosing.

We have made recommendations about the development of risk assessments and the strengthening of quality assurance and notification processes, to help further capture any shortfalls in the safety and quality of the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

This provider was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right Support:

People using the service were central to their own care and support. There was a strong person-centred culture and ethos that valued the individual and involved people in making choices and decisions about every aspect of their lives.

People were protected from the risk of abuse and harm. A positive and person-centred approach was taken to the management of risks to people.

Staff were recruited safely and trained and competent for their role. Staff rotas and numbers were adapted as and when necessary to meet the specific needs of people.

External professionals involved were positive about the support provided. One commented, “The service is so adaptable and meet people’s needs, they move heaven and earth to cater for people.”

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

Right Care:

People received care and support from staff from the same staff team. Consequently, people were supported by staff who knew them well, understood their needs and considered their wishes, goals and preferences. People were treated with the utmost dignity.

People were fully supported to live a life of their choosing and to increase their independence.

Staff worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure people had access to the right care and support. One professional commented, “Nothing for the service is an obstacle, they always work to find a way to achieve the best solution for the person.”

Right Culture:

The registered manager had developed a culture which put the person at the heart of the service. This culture was widely understood and practiced by staff.

Staff worked collaboratively in ensuring a sense of equality and inclusion across the service. The service was a strong ambassador and champion for the right that people should be able to live a life of their choosing.

The service acted as a proactive advocate for people and worked well in conjunction with external health and social care professionals to provide the best care possible.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered on 2 February 2022. This is the first inspection of this newly registered service.

Why we inspected

We inspected the service to provide it with a rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.