Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, our neurological rehabilitation service in South East London, is delighted to announce that it has received an upgraded rating of ‘Good’ following its latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.
The service – which provides specialist inpatient rehabilitation for individuals with an acquired brain injury or other complex neurological conditions – was noted by the inspectors to have made improvements in several areas.
Commenting on the ‘Good’ rating, John Ward, Hospital Director at Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, said, “As Hospital Director, I want to thank our incredible team for their dedication, passion, and commitment to our residents. Thanks to their hard work, we’ve achieved a ‘Good’ rating from the CQC.
This achievement reflects the team’s determination to deliver the highest standards of care. It is an important step on our journey toward becoming a recognised centre of excellence in complex neurorehabilitation”.
Below are some of the highlights taken from the report:
Safe
Staff were able to demonstrate an understanding of incident reporting and learning, supported by monthly lessons learned bulletins.
Compliance with Mental Capacity Act (MCA) training has increased, and there is oversight of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications. Safeguarding systems are also in place, and staff are aware of how to raise concerns.
Patients confirmed feeling safe and able to speak with staff. The CQC saw evidence of effective systems, processes, and practices in place to ensure patients were safeguarded from abuse and neglect. Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre was also noted to have a comprehensive local safeguarding procedure, which included strong working relationships with external agencies, including the local authority.
Family members confirmed they were involved in discharge planning and able to raise concerns. The inspectors also confirmed that family members were able to attend regular multi-agency family meetings, either in person or virtually.
Caring
The inspectors noted that patients were supported and treated with dignity and respect and involved as partners in their care. The inspectors also observed staff engaging with patients in a professional and caring manner.
Staff were approachable and responded to individual needs. For example, a patient confirmed access to a multi-faith room, and another described how their dietary needs were catered for.
Family members informed the inspectors that the service offered a good range of activities that supported patient engagement and recovery.
Finally, the service was noted for its processes in supporting carer involvement in patient care and treatment. This included a quarterly carers’ newsletter, a family summer barbecue, and invitations to carers for afternoon tea events.
Responsive
The inspectors noted that staff have implemented structured systems to gather feedback, and patients and family members confirmed they knew how to provide it. Feedback was collected through questionnaires, forums, and surveys, with actions coordinated by a senior staff member. Patients were also able to give feedback during community meetings. Contact details for the advocate were displayed throughout the service.
The CQC also confirmed the service complies with legal equality and human rights requirements, including avoiding discrimination, considering the needs of patients with different protected characteristics, and making reasonable adjustments to support equity in experience and outcomes.
Well-led
The report noted that since the last inspection, governance structure at Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre has developed, with monthly local governance meetings led by a senior clinical representative. These meetings covered key areas, including health and safety, infection prevention and control, audits, and catering, with representation from all disciplines to support collaborative service improvement.
The inspectors observed the operational group meetings, which contributed to the governance structure. These meetings provided updates and action plans from specific service areas. The quality team also monitored performance against internal and external standards, including CQC methodology, and used an internal data system to track physical health needs and incidents of challenging behaviour.
The report noted evidence that relevant data was shared in governance meetings, and key updates were communicated to staff through team meetings and notice boards. The inspectors also noted the monthly “Lesson Learned” bulletin, which included lessons learned from incidents and safety updates. A Service Level Agreement (SLA) with a local GP surgery supported continuity of care, with the GP conducting regular ward rounds and clinical assessments.
Congratulations to everyone at Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre on this fantastic accomplishment!
For further information about Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, please visit their webpage.