Salisbury Support 4 Autism

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider assessed people’s needs and choices. This ensured care was planned in a personalised way. People using the service, their relatives and other representatives were asked for their views during assessments and when care plans were reviewed and updated. Comments from relatives included, “[We] liaised with staff and were involved in care planning” and “We go to meetings to discuss the care plan.”

Care records included comprehensive assessments and plans. These were clear and gave guidance for staff about people’s individual needs. These were regularly reviewed and reassessed. Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of people’s individual needs.

The provider ensured staff provided evidence-based care and treatment. The staff undertook a range of training and had regular meetings to discuss legislation and best practice. The provider specialised in providing care to autistic people. All staff completed training about autism, learning disabilities and managing behaviours that challenged. The provider employed specialist staff who worked closely with the support staff to look at people’s individual needs and how people could be supported. The staff told us training was useful and thought provoking. Comments from staff included, “Working with people can be stressful. But if we respect people and learn about their individual needs, we can anticipate what they need and work with them” and “The training has been very useful to help me understand about autism.”

Staff completed training and workshops to help them understand situations from the perspectives of people with a learning disability and autism. This included reflective practice sessions and sensory experiences.

Relatives told us they thought staff were well trained and had a good understanding of how to provide suitable care. Their comments included, “I think staff are effective and understand [person’s] needs” and “[Person] has complex needs. Staff are trying really hard to help [them] feel comfortable and happy.”

The staff worked well together and with other professionals to help make sure people received consistent high-quality care. The staff had regular meetings with each other to discuss the service, best practice and people’s needs. They also met with managers and shared ideas and best practice. The staff regularly liaised with external professionals to discuss people’s care.

The provider supported people to have healthier lives. Staff helped people to understand about healthy choices relating to diet, exercise, activities and their mental wellbeing. They had helped people to gain a healthy weight and improve their physical wellbeing.

People’s healthcare needs were assessed. Staff helped people to monitor their own health needs and to attend healthcare appointments. Staff consulted with other professionals and incorporated their guidance into support plans.

People’s relatives told us they thought the service was good at meeting healthcare needs. Their comments included, “Staff support [person] to eat healthily and make sure [they] are involved in food preparation”, “Staff manage [person’s healthcare condition] well”, “Staff help [person] to understand [their] conditions and manage these independently” and “Staff have helped person be more active inside and outside of the home.”

The provider monitored people’s needs and outcomes. Staff monitored people’s wellbeing each day and kept records of this. They discussed people’s needs with the person and other staff so they could identify when things needed to change and when a person needed more support.

Each person had a key member of staff who helped them to plan goals and objectives. They had regular meetings with the staff to review these and make plans to help ensure these goals could be achieved.

The provider ensured people consented to their care whenever possible. People’s mental capacity had been assessed. The staff worked with people to present information and choices in a way they understood so they could gain consent. For example, using pictures, social stories (a way of presenting information about social situations in a personalised format), visual clues and giving people simple choices. Staff were patient and made sure people had the time to understand choices and consent to care.

Some people did not have the mental capacity to understand more complex decisions about their health, wellbeing or accommodation. The provider worked with their relatives and legal representatives to make sure decisions were made in people’s best interests. These decisions were regularly reviewed to make sure people experienced the best outcomes. Family members told us they were involved and consulted. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of their responsibilities to offer choices, obtain consent and respect people’s decisions.