Updated 19 June 2025
The assessment began on 15 July 2025 and concluded on 12 August 2025.
Disability Supported Accommodation Service North is a supported living service providing personal care to people in supported living accommodation. At the time of the assessment the service was supporting 58 people with personal care needs. This assessment was prompted by the age of the current rating, and we looked at all 33 quality statements across the 5 key questions. The service has been rated good, and we did not identify any breaches of regulation.
We assessed this service using the principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture, which guide our approach to inspecting services for autistic people and people with a learning disability. The service was designed to promote independence, choice, and inclusion. Care was person-centred and focused on supporting people to live meaningful lives in their community. Staff demonstrated values and behaviours that upheld people’s dignity and human rights, and the leadership team fostered a culture of respect, empowerment, and continuous improvement.
People and their relatives spoke positively about the support provided, describing staff as kind, respectful, and committed to meeting individual needs. Care was person-centred and tailored to promote independence, choice, and inclusion. Staff supported people to live meaningful lives within their communities, encouraging participation in daily activities and decision-making.
Staff demonstrated values and behaviours that upheld people’s dignity and human rights. They understood their responsibilities in safeguarding people from abuse and neglect and were confident in raising concerns. Care delivery respected people’s preferences, and assessments of mental capacity were carried out appropriately. Where restrictions were in place, these were proportionate, clearly documented, and reflected the least restrictive option in line with legal frameworks and human rights principles.
Staff reported that training was accessible, relevant to their roles, and supported by alerts for upcoming refresher sessions. At the time of the assessment, the service was transitioning to a new system for monitoring training compliance. While this had led to delays in some refresher training, all required sessions had been booked during our visit, and staff remained confident in their knowledge and skills.
Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures were well managed across the service. Cleaning schedules and logs were embedded, and regular PPE stock checks ensured appropriate levels were maintained in each property. The properties were accessible, well maintained, and supported by robust fire safety checks and audits, including Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs).
Medicines were administered safely by staff in most cases. However, record keeping did not consistently support best practice. Some opportunities to improve outcomes through medication reviews were missed due to incomplete or unclear documentation. The service had begun addressing this during the assessment.
The service was well-led, with a visible and approachable leadership team that staff and people spoke positively about. Leaders fostered a culture of respect, and empowerment, where staff felt confident to speak up and raise concerns. Key information was shared effectively across teams. The service worked in partnership with external organisations to improve outcomes for people. However, performance data analysis lacked context and did not always support targeted improvements. The leadership team had begun making changes in response to feedback received during the assessment.