Galashiels charity supporting people with learning disabilities is rated ‘weak’

Brothers of Charity Services (Scotland) is based at Triest House in Bridge Street.

It provides supported living support to help people experience maximum independence, together with care home, respite and complex care services for individuals with learning disabilities and significant health needs.

The service’s ethos is “to provide care and support for adults, to enable them to flourish, live more independent lives and fulfil their potential.”

Three short notice visits to the service took place in June by two representatives of the Care Inspectorate.

They spoke or met with 31 people using the service and spoke or had correspondence with 63 staff and management.

It was concluded that staff shortages were having a negative impact on the service and that some individuals were missing out on important exercise which should be part of their daily routine.

In response a spokesperson for the charity has pledged to work alongside the Care Inspectorate to carry out the improvements needed.

The report says: “Recruitment challenges throughout the health and care sector alongside retention challenges, meant there was a high number of new staff being inducted quickly to ensure people’s needs were being met.

“Some families praised how well their relative was supported and were very happy with staff who knew people well. Some families were concerned at the number of new staff who did not know their loved on and their support needs.

“People we met were being well supported however, staff shortages had an impact on what people could achieve in their day.

“Out of date information within care and support plans meant new or agency staff did not have the most up to date information to guide them. There has been a lack of management oversight leading to risks or potential risks to people.”

The service was rated ‘weak’ for supporting people’s well-being, its leadership, its staff team and how well care support is planned.

An action plan has now been launched to address the issues identified..

Gary Macmanus, Brothers of Charity Services’s chief operating officer, said: “Whilst disappointed to receive an overall grading of ‘weak’, the outcome was expected confirming our own self-assessment processes undertaken over the past 12 months.

“What was encouraging is the recognition that our care continues to be delivered with dignity and compassion and there are strengths Brothers of Charity Services, Scotland will look to build on.

“The charity is currently undergoing a radical transformation, tackling entrenched historical legacies and previous management practices. We are striving for excellence in areas including governance, compliance and safe practice and will continue to put supported people at the heart of everything we do.

“We will now work with the inspectorate and commissioners in delivering a comprehensive action plan in driving forward the key areas identified in the report and look forward to a positive outcome at the next assessment.

Brothers of Charity was founded by Canon Peter Joseph Triest in Belgium in 1807.

Its services were first established in the Borders in 1955.