Stallcombe House

Updated 6 June 2025

Date of Assessment: 29 May to 24 June 2025. We visited the service on 29 May and 3 June 2025. At our last assessment of Stallcombe House, we rated the service as good. At this assessment, the rating has remained good.

Stallcombe House is a residential care service which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 33 people. The service consists of the main Stallcombe House which provides care and support for 27 people with a learning disability and autistic people, within 4 'zones' within the house. The Willows is a separate unit which provides care and support for a further 6 people. At the time of our assessment there were 30 people living at the service.

The assessment was carried out as we had received concerns in relation to medical issues not being escalated and staff raising issues about the management and leadership of the service. At the time of receiving the concerns, the provider had investigated them appropriately. Additionally, the concerns were not substantiated during our assessment.

A safe service was being provided. People were included to understand and manage risks. There was enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff. People were safeguarded and staff were clear on their responsibilities for safeguarding.

The service made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs. Care was planned and delivered with people, and in line with legislation and current evidence based good practice and standards. People were told about their rights around consent.

Care was provided which promoted people’s independence, people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The service was responsive and made sure people were at the centre of their care. Care was joined up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. People could access information in formats tailored to individual needs. The service made it easy for people to share feedback or raise complaints. People could access the care, support and treatment they needed.

The service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. There were exceptionally inclusive leaders who understood the context in which care, treatment and support was delivered. There was a positive culture, and people could speak up with their voice heard. There were clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. The service worked in collaboration and in partnership with services and the community. The service was focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement.

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.

Updated 6 June 2025

People and their relatives were positive about the quality of their care. We received feedback from 6 people living at the service and 11 relatives. People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. One person commented, "I like living at Stallcombe House. The staff are nice and keep me safe." Not all people were able to comment on their safety. However, their body language while interacting with staff was relaxed and positive, which indicated they felt safe. This was corroborated through our observations and speaking to staff and relatives.

Relatives commented, "I think that staff do provide safe care which offers opportunities for [relative] to live a good life. I know he loves living there and would not want to be anywhere else, he feels safe and secure there”, “I feel very safe knowing that [relative] is in their care”, “I feel [relative] is in a safe caring environment” and “I believe the care provided is both safe and enriching.”

Feedback from family members and professionals confirmed care was person-centred and unique to each person and how the service was exceptional in the way they tailored people’s support. Relatives commented, “[Relative] is provided with excellent care and support which allows him to live a happy and meaningful life, in safe surroundings. He has many opportunities to follow his interests in music, the outdoors, and travel” and “Several staff members have gone out of their way to enrich [relative’s] life, whether by considering his diet, taking him out to enjoy music, or looking for ways to improve his daily quality of life. A professional commented, “The management team demonstrate clear and consistent communication and a strong commitment to provide person-centred care.”

People were actively involved in assessing their own needs, care planning and setting goals, dreams and aspirations. Personalised communication tools were used to support people to communicate their goals, dreams, and aspirations. Positive outcomes for people were realised as a result.

The provider worked with people to ensure key information about their care and support was communicated appropriately using easy read formats. This promoted positive outcomes for people and enabled them to achieve their personal goals and targets.

Professionals commented, “I would like to commend the exceptional quality of care and support provided by the Stallcombe to the individuals residing there. The outcome for the clients I have involved with, have been positive, with noticeable improvements not just in their mental health but also in their overall quality of life.”