Birchwood

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 27 February 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of inspection 13 January to 28 January 2026. The service is a care home for 15 people providing care and support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. At the time of this inspection, 11 people were living at the service.

The inspection was carried out to follow up on previous enforcement action and to review the rating. We found previous breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, good governance, safeguarding service users from abuse and improper care, staffing, premises, and equipment were complied with, and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We found the service was always supporting people with a learning disability in line with this statutory guidance.

Kindness, compassion and dignity were embedded in everyday practice and supported positive outcomes for people.

The provider was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences and at promoting people’s independence.

People were supported to understand their rights and had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing. This resulted in people leading active meaningful lives, with access to a wide range of activities, community involvement and events that were important to them.

The provider had a very clear shared vision, strategy and culture and was exceptional at fostering a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

The provider collaborated and worked in partnership, sharing information and learning with partners to provide a service that worked seamlessly for people. They demonstrated a strong culture of continuous learning and innovation, using data and lived experience and assistive technology to drive on going improvements in people’s independence, communication and quality of life.

The service delivered person centred care that was embedded across all aspects of people’s support. The care was tailored to people’s individual needs and life goals. People were supported to feel listened to and understood. People had timely access to a range of health and social care professionals which supported their wellbeing and quality of life.

Risks to people were identified, assessed and effectively managed with safeguarding systems in place to protect people from harm. The service worked in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, with consent sought and people supported to be involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

Staff were suitably recruited and received appropriate induction, supervision, and ongoing training. They had access to a wide range of learning opportunities, and their competencies were assessed to ensure they were able to carry out their roles safely and effectively. The provider actively supported staff development through structured learning, career pathways, and opportunities to gain qualifications and progress within the organisation.

The service was effectively managed and monitored with clear governance and oversight arrangements in place. This enabled the provider to identify improvements and take action where required.

The registered manager demonstrated open, transparent and responsive leadership. They were proactive in addressing feedback and was committed to providing a safe service. Staff were positive about the registered manager’s approach, which they found to be supportive, and promoted a positive open culture within the service.