Ashlea House

For more details, please read the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

People's experience of using this service: The service had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensured that people could live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence such as making decisions about what they want to do and being able to change their mind, supported to find voluntary and paid work. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them

At our last inspection in October 2016 we rated the service as good in all domains except Well led because they had not had a registered manager for two years.

At this inspection we met the newly registered manager. We found their leadership and enthusiasm had helped to sustain the continued rating of good overall. They and staff fostered a lovely homely atmosphere in the house and outcomes for people remained good.

Staff enabled people to lead a busy and active lifestyle and supported them to maximise their potential for independence. Boundaries were in place for some people who understood the reasons why this was. Staff worked to clear guidance to ensure any restrictions they needed to impose to maintain peoples safety were consistently applied and reviewed.

Staff received a broad range of training to provide them with the skills and knowledge needed to support people appropriately and understand their needs. Medicines continued to be managed safely.

People spoke positively about what they liked about living in the service and how being there had helped them develop their independence and for some inspired a desire to move to less dependent accommodation in the future. They understood what to do if they were not happy with anything. A relative told us that they were happy with all aspects of their relatives care and would be happy to recommend the service to others.

There were enough staff available to provide flexible support to people, A safe system of staff recruitment was in place. Staff were trained to recognise abuse and discrimination and protect people from harm. Risks were assessed, and measures implemented to reduce the likelihood of harm to people or others.

People were consulted about all aspects of their daily lives and their consent obtained. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service (did not support) supported this practice.

They were encouraged to eat healthily but had choice about what they ate. They were supported by staff to ensure their health needs were met.

Staff demonstrated warmth, compassion and kindness in their everyday interactions with people. Staff said they felt supported and that communication within the team was good. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and protect them from discrimination.

The house was well maintained, and all equipment regularly tested and serviced. People had their own rooms that they personalised to their own taste.

There was good oversight and monitoring by the registered provider and registered manager to ensure people received the right support. They sought feedback from people staff relatives and professionals about the service to help drive improvement.