Fulcrum, an independent care consultancy company, recently conducted an unannounced two-day mock quality inspection at Burbank Mews, our residential care service for adults with autism and learning disabilities in Hartlepool.

A mock quality inspection replicates a Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment, providing valuable feedback to improve our services for the people we support. Engaging an external organisation, such as Fulcrum, allows for an independent evaluation, ensuring our care meets high standards without internal bias.

Burnbank Mews’s most recent CQC rating (November 2022) was ‘Good’. Following the mock inspection, the service maintained its overall ‘Good’ rating.

Below are some of the highlights taken from the mock report:

Safe

Burnbank Mews was found to have a proactive and positive safety culture based on openness and honesty. The service’s culture enables concerns about safety to be listened to, safety events to be investigated and reported thoroughly, and lessons to be learned to continually identify and embed good practices.

Effective

The inspectors found that Burbank Mews staff completed team meetings with allied health professionals. This ensured that best-interest meetings took place with detailed care planning and risk assessments.

Residents also had reviews as required with the service, and families reported they were involved in care planning. Additionally, social workers and the personal representatives of residents praised the proactive communication and responsiveness of the Registered Manager, Jamie Alderson, and the wider management team to ensure individual needs were met.

Caring

Staff were observed to provide care and support with kindness and compassion.

The inspectors witnessed respectful exchanges between residents and staff, and residents were very complimentary of the team’s support and care. Staff were observed to respond with empathy to residents’ choices whilst residents spent time in the sensory room. Staff also noted that they knew the importance of person-centred environments and what mattered to the individuals we support.

Responsive

The staff at Burbank Mews actively encouraged residents to make choices regarding their support. The inspectors found that people received person-centred care that respected their needs and wishes. Burbank staff also understood the diverse health and care needs of people and the local community, so care was joined-up, flexible, and supported choice and continuity.

Well-led

The leadership team was open and transparent with the inspector during the visit; there was no evidence of closed cultures. Inclusion was also evident in meeting people’s needs. Burbank promoted the right to equality and understood residents’ human rights by ensuring appropriate healthcare support was accessed to support residents’ physical and mental well-being.

Congratulations to the entire team at Burbank Mews on this fantastic achievement!

For more information about Burbank Mews, click here.