Probation hostel in Northampton rated 'requires improvement' as leaders told to make sure facility is staffed 'adequately at all times'
A probation hostel in Northampton has been rated ‘requires improvement’, as leaders have been told to make sure the facility is staffed “adequately at all times”.
Bridgewood Approved Premises (AP) in Lower Meadow Court was inspected in January, when there was 17 men living at the facility.
The inspection was carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation, which has published a report on its findings this month.
In the report, the facility was rated ‘inadequate’ in the leadership and staffing categories. It was rated ‘requires improvement’ in the safety, public protection and rehabilitation categories, which led to an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’.
Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones, said: “While we found committed staff who were working hard to support residents in challenging circumstances, the service was too reliant on the efforts of individual staff rather than being supported by strong systems and processes.
"Leadership and staffing, central to the delivery of any high quality service, were judged to be inadequate. There was not enough management capacity, and the quality assurance systems did not provide the oversight required to ensure that core tasks were completed to the expected standard. While we saw examples of good practice, these were isolated and not driven by clear management direction.
“Staffing was particularly fragile. Issues with workplace culture, training gaps, and inconsistent supervision were affecting staff confidence and the reliability of day-to- day work. These weaknesses contributed to inconsistent record-keeping, insufficient information sharing, and failures to complete essential tasks, all of which hindered the safe and effective running of the premises.”
Inspectors added that suicide and self-harm assessments had fallen short of expected standards, with varying quality and missing important information in case records. Inspectors said they were assured there were some mitigating systems, but the gaps in the assessments were limiting the reliability of risk management.
The report makes 11 recommendations, eight of which are for the leadership team, including to ensure all residents receive timely assessments of suicide and self-harm risks. Three recommendations are for HM Prison and Probation Service, including to ensure the facility is “staffed and resourced adequately at all times”, with arrangements that provide “safe, operational cover”.
Mr Jones said that the risks identified during the inspection require “timely and sustained action”. The facility will be re-inspected within 12 months.