Archived: Aurora Options

The detailed evidence supporting our summary can be read in our full report.

Is the service safe?

Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. Risk assessments had been carried out for each person depending on their abilities and need for support in different areas. Plans were put in place to minimise risks.

Appropriate checks were undertaken before new staff began work. For example, the service carried out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and followed up on people's references. This ensured people were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff.

Is the service effective?

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. The provider acted in accordance with legal requirements where people did not have the capacity to consent.

People's health, safety and welfare was protected when more than one provider was involved in their care and treatment, or when they moved between different services. This was because the provider worked in co-operation with others. For example, the service organised meetings with a range of health and care professionals to co-ordinate care for people who were using the service.

Is the service caring?

Staff spoke to the people using the service in a calm and patient manner. The people using the service were relaxed when they were interacting with members of staff and with the other people using the service. Staff promoted people's well-being by engaging them in a range of activities and encouraging them to be as independent as possible.

We spoke to two people using the service and four relatives of people using the service. They were mostly satisfied with the care they received. One person said, "It's good living here. I am all right". One of the relatives we spoke with said, "We are very happy with Aurora. My son is very happy too." Another relative said the staff all deserved "gold stars" because of their caring and helpful attitude.

Is the service responsive?

We examined how the service responded to complaints and actions they took in response to any adverse incidents involving people who used the service. We found that the service responded to concerns promptly and carried out investigations in relation to any incidents. Actions were taken to prevent incidents from happening again.

Is the service well led?

The provider had systems to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. This included obtaining feedback from people using the service, their relatives, and members of staff. Managers carried out audits and spot checks to ensure the service was safe and the care being provided was suitable and effective.

A person told us, "The staff treat me well, they support me with shopping, cooking, staff help me to stay well and that is important to me as I need to take medicine'.

Another person using the service told us, "I find staff are polite and helpful, they involve me in planning my routines and have supported me with getting employment".

We saw that people were able to take part in activities they enjoyed in the community. Two people told us they had part time employment in gardening which they enjoyed.

We were told by an external stakeholder that the service provided was "of a consistently high quality", was "person centred in approach" and "was continually striving to improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities".

Staff spoken with said they enjoyed working both with the people they supported and for the organisation. A member of staff told us, "I really like the ethos of the organisation, I feel supported and valued in my work'.