Archived: Strangers Way

We observed positive engagement between staff and people who use the service, and noted from the documentation we saw, that people's consent and agreement was sought before care and support was carried out. People were encouraged and supported to make their own decisions. Where they lacked the capacity to make decisions independently, appropriate processes had been followed to ensure best interest decisions were made with them or on their behalf.

We observed people in this home were at ease in the company of the staff that supported them, and people told us the staff were kind, and gave them the support they needed. We found the recruitment systems were sufficient to ensure the staff employed were suitable to work in this environment.

There was a complaints procedure in place, and people who use the service knew who they should report any concerns to. A summary of the complaints policy was displayed and was readily accessible to people in the home.

Robust medication systems ensured people received their prescribed medication on time and in a way that suited their needs.

We observed that people were offered support at a level which encouraged independence and ensured that their individual needs were met. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the home, and staff were friendly and polite in their approach, and interacted confidently with people.

We noted that people were encouraged to express their views and were involved in planning their care, and making decisions about their support and how they spent their time. People told us they attended a range of community based activities including day centres and college courses. They also talked about the range of leisure activities that were available to them.

Within the care files we saw that people had signed their care documentation to confirm their involvement and agreement with their particular care needs. Some people also kept daily diaries about their experiences.