SENSE - 89 Hastings Avenue

What life is like for people using the service: ● Since the last inspection in July 2016, the home has made several improvements and now meets the characteristics of outstanding in all areas and overall. ● By talking to people, observing interactions and looking through pictures, it was clear that people were living happy and fulfilling lives at the service. They had great relationships with staff who knew them intently and had a genuine passion for providing people with the best opportunities in life. ● Relatives commented; "They deserve an outstanding rating, as a parent as a professional. It is an amazing, amazing place," "They really are outstanding in my eyes. They are brilliant. [Our loved one] is definitely in the best place." ● Staff shared a common vision for the service and for the people it supported; to enable them to live as independently as possible. We saw that staff were dedicated to improving people's communication, mobility and confidence and the care and support that was provided to people were guided by peoples' own aims and goals. ● People were challenged and encouraged to achieve their goals and there had been remarkably positive and consistent outcomes for people. One person had lost significant amounts of weight through healthy eating and exercise and was enjoying a range of activities they could not enjoy before; including swimming and a range of sports at a local sports club. Another had been supported to significantly develop their communication by increasing their signing skills and vocabulary. They were now able to communicate their choices and decisions using their own and recognised British language signs. One person who at one point was a wheelchair user, decided they want to go on the bus more and to become more mobile. Staff worked with the person and we saw that they regularly travelled on public transport to go to the gym. The person showed us their exercises that they did each day with staff and physiotherapists told us how impressed they were with the person's progress. ● Staff worked closely with people, health professionals and families to reduce the use of 'mood stabilising' psychotropic medicines and had introduced innovative methods tailored to people to reduce their anxiety. Staff and relatives told us that the new method had been working well and the person was now on half the dosage, with a continued reduction planned. ● People had developed friendships with one another and with people they had met at different clubs and

groups locally. Relatives told us that their loved ones used to feel isolated, but now they had lots of friends and determined what they wanted to do each day and with whom. ● People chose who they wanted to support them, by taking part in interviewing new members of staff and staff used a matching tool, that matched potential new staff with people by shared interests and personalities.

More information is in Detailed Findings below.