Updated 21 May 2025
Date of Assessment: 28 August to 8 September 2025. The service provides supported living and care to older and younger adults with a learning disability, and autistic people. The service was supporting 85 people at the time of our assessment. Not everyone who used the service received the regulated activity of personal care, with some people assisted with cleaning or social visits only. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
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. The service was meeting the underpinning principles of ‘Right support, right care, right culture’.
The provider had a learning culture where staff understood, and managed risks and people were kept safe. Risks were assessed and regularly reviewed to ensure measures remained effective and appropriate. People were supported to take positive risks where this enhanced their quality of life. Staff understood people’s emotional communication and responded effectively to signs of distress, anxiety and frustration. Leaders and staff followed the least restrictive options to keep people safe and ensured lessons were learnt and shared through de-brief processes. People were supported to understand and maintain their tenancies, and staff supported them to ensure environments were safe, suitable and well maintained. Staff were deployed to meet people’s needs and keep them safe, though some people and relatives had concerns around staff deployment in some services. The registered manager was aware of this and had identified improvements at the time of our inspection visit. Staff felt well trained and supported in their roles.
People were involved in assessments and were at the centre of reviews of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy and were supported to plan and shop for their meals where appropriate. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Staff ensured people had choice and control and consented to their care. They followed processes to ensure those important to people, and those involved in their care, took decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity. Mental capacity assessments required further development to ensure these were fully reflective of individual impairments to people’s mental capacity.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People were supported to identify and achieve meaningful goals and aspirations, including hobbies and interests, and enabled to be as independent as possible. Staff encouraged and supported people to be a part of their local communities. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. The provider promoted and supported staff wellbeing.
The leadership team were visible and approachable, helping staff to professionally develop in their roles. The registered manager maintained good oversight of the service. They used lessons learnt across the provider’s services to develop and improve the service. People, staff and relatives had confidence in the management team and felt any issues were quickly responded to and resolved. Some people and relatives lacked confidence and trust in higher level managers. Staff supported the provider’s values of people being in control and at the centre of their care. They were committed to enabling people to achieve the best possible outcomes from their care and support.