Westcliff House

The service was registered prior to the implementation of Registering the Right Support, a set of principles and values that underpin best practice for services supporting people living with a learning disability and/or autism. However, the service adheres to these to ensure that people who use the service can 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. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 34 people which is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. Staff were discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

People's medicines were managed safely.

People told us they enjoyed the food provided and their choice of evening meals had improved since the pervious inspection.

People told us they felt safe living at Westcliff House. The relatives we spoke with also felt the service was safe; they described the staff as "wonderful" and "amazing". Staff were aware of their responsibilities to protect people and to report concerns should they suspect someone was being abused, mistreated or neglected.

There were enough staff available to support people. They had been safely recruited and received the training they needed for their role. People told they had a good relationship with the staff. One person said, "The staff are lovely and very supportive. They spend time talking with us."

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff told us people had capacity to make decisions and choices about how they wished to live their lives. Staff respected people's decisions, even if those decisions were ones that others might think of as not being good decisions. The service worked closely with other care professionals, such the community mental health team, GPs and community nurses, to ensure people received the support they required.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. The registered manager told us people had few goals and ambitions, with people happy to remain stable and well. This was something the service was looking to develop, to encourage people to think about their future and things they would like to achieve.

The registered manager had continued to develop a service's quality assurance system and service improvement plan. They told us how these used it to review the outcomes of their regular safety and quality audits, as well as to record when improvements were required and completed. People and staff told us the service was well managed. There were clear lines of accountability and each member of staff was aware of their role and responsibilities.