SENSE - 85 Park Road

People's experience of the service and what we found: 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 statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

Right Support People were not always supported safely with their individual nutritional needs. Training was ongoing.

An ongoing refurbishment plan was in place, we saw the windows and doors being replaced during the inspection. People's bedrooms were nicely decorated and personalised.

Medicines were administered safely. We made a recommendation in relation to ensuring PRN protocols were specific. 2 staff checked in the medicines from the pharmacy and medicines administration record included allergy information in them.

Activities were undertaken, however, these were inconsistent and lacked engagement. Records included some information about aids to help people with communication. However, people were not consistently engaged by the staff team.

Right Care The feedback about people's care was mainly positive and that their privacy, dignity and independence was respected. We noted some kind and caring interactions however, the engagement between staff and people was limited, dependent on the staff on duty. One person had stained clothing on for a number of hours. Where changes in people's behaviours were seen, the staff failed to always act on this. We saw people treated with dignity and they were supported and encouraged with their independence. Records were stored securely in line with GDPR requirements.

Risks were assessed and managed and systems were in place to ensure allegations of abuse were dealt with.

Care records had been completed. However, they did not always reflect accurately people's current and individual needs. Family told us they had been involved in the development of care plans.

Right Culture We observed differences in the skills of the staff team. We saw evidence of professionals involved in people's care. Staff were recruited safely, although we made a recommendation in relation to ensuring suitable staff delivered peoples care.

People were mostly supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff somewhat supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service somewhat supported this practice. The registered manager gave assurance they would ensure all staff understood how to protect people from unlawful restrictions. Complaints were managed and a range of positive feedback was noted. There was evidence of partnership working and we saw professionals visiting during the inspection.

People were engaged and involved, meetings were taking place. Staff were positive about the management and support they provided. Most relatives were positive, but some feedback was mixed.

Audits and monitoring was being undertaken. However, they failed to identify the shortfalls we noted at this inspection

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