Bedford Supported Living Services Rated ‘Outstanding’ By CQC!
We are delighted to announce that, following a recent inspection from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) our Bedford Services have received a rating of ‘Outstanding’.
This rating marks a great achievement as Bedford Services had previously been rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ following an inspection in 2022. We are immensely proud of the dedication and hard work from the staff team. It was noted in the overall ratings published by the CQC in August 2024 that only 4% of adult social care providers had received an Outstanding rating (Appendix: CQC ratings charts – Care Quality Commission).
Within the inspection, Bedford Services received an outstanding score of 100% for the key question of ‘Caring’. CQC looked for ‘evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect’. The Outstanding rating meant that the people supported at our services were ‘truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service’.
One family member noted: “For the first time I can go away and take a holiday knowing that my [family member] is safe, well looked after and happy. It hasn’t always been like this and I’m grateful to the carers for all they do.”
We also received an outstanding score of 100% for the key question of ‘Well Led’. In this area, CQC looked for ‘evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture’. CQC noted that our service leadership within our Bedford services ‘was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care’.
One person told CQC, ‘[Name of manager] has really helped me. All the managers are really good. They helped me reconnect with family I hadn’t seen for years. Now I have family’.
Lyndsey Downes, Service Director at Creative Support, said: “I am immensely proud of the outcome of our recent CQC inspection and ecstatic to read the positive impact we are having on the lives of those we support in Bedford. To go from Requires Improvement to Outstanding in such a short space of time has taken hard work, resilience, commitment, openness and learning at all levels, as well as support from the full range of head office departments.
The report made my heart dance and shows just how many people have seen the positive impact of the improvement journey we have been on. This included families, professionals, staff and tenants. It’s a truly fantastic and well-deserved reflection of the hard work and commitment of such a caring workforce. I just know that the services will continue to go from strength to strength, led by Liz Smith, Joao Elviro and Serah Murega, a formidable team who have led these services to Outstanding.”
The CQC report said: “This is a remarkable turnaround from the last inspection, when the service was rated requires improvement.”