Br3akfree Respite Care

Br3rakfree Respite care is a residential care home providing personal care and short breaks. The service can support up to three people with a learning and physical disability and sensory impairment. At the time of our inspection no one was receiving respite care. The service is located in a block of flats on the second floor. It has a lift and wheelchair access at the back of the building.

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 they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

We undertook this inspection at the same time as CQC inspected a range of urgent and emergency care services in North East London. To understand the experience of social care providers and people who use social care services, we asked a range of questions in relation to accessing urgent and emergency care. The responses we received have been used to inform and support system wide feedback.

Recruitment checks were carried out, however, records were not always up to date. We found application forms were not fully completed and references inconsistent. We have made a recommendation in relation to maintaining recruitment records.

Relatives told us the service was safe and medicines were managed safely. People’s nutritional and health needs were met.

Staff received training to help them effectively carry out their role.

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.

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.

There was no one currently using the service. Therefore, we were not able to fully demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture. The registered manager demonstrated a commitment to people and strong person-centred values. People’s choices were respected. Part of our approach to inspecting services provided to people with a learning disability and autistic people involves observing people in their environment receiving care.

Relatives told us staff valued people’s choice, however as there was no one using the service at the time of our inspection, we were not able to observe staff demonstrating how staff delivered care in line with guidance.

Whilst systems and guidance were in place, we were unable to see these implemented by staff. Therefore, we were not able to rate all key questions.

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 with us on 8 November 2019, and this was the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned comprehensive inspection based on the service no longer being dormant after becoming active in September 2021. Since October 2021 the service has not had any new people join the service.

Follow up

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