Archived: Avalon Botton Services

Avalon Botton Services, is a shared lives scheme which provides people with long-term placements, short breaks and respite care, within shared lives carers (care workers) own homes. At the time of our inspection 29 people were using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We received positive feedback from people, who told us they were happy with the support they received from their care workers. People received person-centred support and care workers knew the people they supported extremely well. Support plans covered all aspects of people’s lives and their preferences to ensure a personalised experience. People were supported to develop and maintain important personal relationships.

People’s health and well-being needs were supported from their care worker who encouraged people to develop, try new things, learn new skills and achieve personal goals. People were empowered to have their say and to exercise their rights. Access to an advocacy service was available and used when needed. Systems were in place for communicating with people, their relatives and care workers to ensure they were fully involved.

Medicines were safely administered and managed accurately. Individualised risk assessments were in place. Care workers were confident to raise concerns to safeguard people. Robust recruitment and selection procedures ensured suitable care workers were matched with people according to their shared interests and personalities.

All essential visitors had to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test and complete NHS Track and Trace information. Care workers completed training in infection prevention and control.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture. People were supported to reach their personal goals through person-centred approaches from leadership and care worker with the right skills and attitudes to achieve this.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 22 May 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned first rating inspection. We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.