Elmdon House

The provider followed safe recruitment procedures to ensure they only employed suitable staff. People received their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were well managed and administered by those staff who had been trained and were competent.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures 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.

People received personalised care based on their assessed support needs and their preferred way of spending their time. Each person had a care plan which set out how they were to be looked after. Staff received the training they needed to enable them to do their job well. For new staff there was an induction training programme and other staff had a mandatory refresher training programme to complete. Staff were well supported to do their job and received a regular supervision session with a senior member of staff.

People were assisted by the staff team to access any healthcare services. People received the food and drink they needed to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Any preferences they had regarding food and drink were accommodated.

People were encouraged to retain as much choice and control of their daily lives and staff supported them in their best interests. The service was meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

People were looked after by a small team of support workers who were kind and caring. People were content in the home environment and their interactions with the staff team were calm and friendly. People

were encouraged to make their own decisions about how they spent their time but best interests' decisions were made and recorded when the person lacked the capacity to make important decisions. Those staff we met were kind, friendly and genuinely cared for the three people.

People were provided with a personalised service that was responsive to their specific care and support needs. The support team were able to determine whether people were unhappy by acting upon facial expressions, body language and understanding of behaviours exhibited. Whilst meaningful social activities were encouraged, the support team respected people's wishes not to leave their home where they feel safe.

The registered manager provided good leadership and management of the staff team but also managed other care services. The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service for the three people, the staff team and any visitors to the service. The staff worked well with other health and social care services and ensured they kept up to date with best practice.