Updated 9 April 2025
Date of assessment 21 May 2025 to 25 June 2024.
HF Trust Bedfordshire Supported Living provides care and support for up to 19 young people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum conditions, this includes a transition service for 16–25-year-olds and a specialist support service for people with complex needs.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where staff do support people with personal care, we also consider any wider social care provided.
At the time of the inspection, the service provided personal care for 6 people with a learning disability.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it. We assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, as it is registered as a specialist service for this population group.
There was poor communication between the managers and families of people using the service. Relatives felt reluctant to raise concerns because they didn’t believe they were taken seriously and when concerns were raised there was poor communication as to the outcome of the concerns raised.
People were safeguarded from abuse and the provider delivered safe care and treatment. People had risks identified and plans put in place to reduce these. The provider had safe recruitment practices and ensured staff had an induction and training for their role.
People had their individual needs assessed and care plans were in place which were reviewed regularly. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act were understood, and staff ensured people were supported to make choices and decisions.
Staff supported people to have choice, control, and independence over their lives. People were respected and valued as individuals, were involved in their care, and asked for feedback regularly.
Although the provider had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust, this had not been embedded into staff practice. Leaders did not always demonstrate a positive, compassionate, listening culture. Feedback from relatives made it clear that concerns raised were not always listened to and acted upon.
Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas.