Avondale House

The service was last assessed in January 2019 and rated “Good”. We conducted this assessment due to the age of the previous rating.

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.

We found an exceptional quality of care being delivered which placed people’s mental wellbeing at its heart with a clear focus on promoting rehabilitation and recovery. People and relatives spoke passionately about the difference the home and individual staff had made to their lives, which had allowed them to achieve the things that mattered to them and live with maximum independence and control over their care. The service supported people to explore and be in control of their own mental health in a safe and accessible way, through use of regular focused conversations, best practice and input from specialist services.

There were robust care plans in place setting out how risks to people would be managed safely, with the support of other stakeholders which ensured people were safeguarded from harm. This was balanced with a strong focus on supporting positive risk taking, with people able to actively engage with the local community including developing relationships or taking part in activities linked to their passions and interests. Where people expressed a wish to live more independently, the staff worked alongside them to help create a safe pathway for them to do so.

There were strong governance systems in place to ensure delivery of care that was of high quality. Leaders led by example and advocated for people and their staff team. Staff told us they were supported in their role and if they raised any concerns these would be listened to and acted upon.

Professionals who worked with Avondale spoke of how the service engaged with them closely and innovatively to explore ways of ensuring people received the care and treatment they needed to live in the best quality of life possible.

People lived in an environment that was safe and personalised to them and were supported by a consistent team of trained and knowledgeable staff. The service worked proactively to remove barriers to people accessing care and treatment, and to participating in wider society. There were regular opportunities for people to give feedback on their own care and to work with staff to ensure care was individualised and tailored to their wishes. Staff and the service embraced a culture of placing people at the heart of their care, which empowered and challenged them to achieve their goals and the things that mattered to them.