Enter and view: New Beginnings Activity Centre for learning disability

Healthwatch South Gloucestershire and The Hive undertook a two hour afternoon enter and view visit to the New Beginnings Activity Centre, delivered from Staple Hill Methodist Church Hall. New Beginnings Bristol is a "friendly, community run activity centre" that offers a range of support services and events to adults with learning disabilities. Their aim is to help people be as independent as possible, offering support, practical activities and social events to build confidence and achieve goals.

The purpose of the visit was to find out and understand how a person with a learning disability could access the services they need and identify the experience of care and support for people with a learning disability. The Hivewatch enter and view visit is part of an ongoing

programme of work being implemented by Healthwatch South Gloucestershire and The Hive to understand the quality of the care experience for people with learning disabilities within local services. This programme of work has been called ‘Hivewatch’.

The conclusion of the Enter and View representatives was:

"Hivewatch and Healthwatch enter and view volunteers observed an activity enjoyed by those attending the session. It was obvious that many participants had been before and knew the routine of the session and the majority of participants we spoke to had enjoyed the singing session."

Healthwatch South Gloucestershire made 13 recommendations in the report, including:

 Have a sign at the front of the building showing where the activity centre is and how to access it.

 Allow service users the choice of when they can have a drink whether included in the price or at an extra cost; although it is accepted that this may come down to staffing levels and/or limitations of facilities.

 Produce notices in Easy Read format so they can be clearly read and easily understood. This means using larger font, black writing on yellow or white paper, clear language with the use of pictures to illustrate the meaning of the text.

 Consideration should be given to informing service users how they are able to complain without having to approach a member of staff, how the complaint will be dealt with etc.

The report does not include a response from the provider.