Poplars

Who the service is for

This service provides support to people who have specialist needs relating to mental health and learning disabilities.

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 18 September 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We found effective systems were in place to ensure people received care in line with this guidance.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. No one in receipt of a regulated activity required a DoLS at the time of our inspection. However, we found that staff and management worked within the MCA and knew when to apply for DoLS.

Effective systems were in place to ensure people received safe care. There was a positive safety and learning culture where staff were confident in identifying and reporting safety and safeguarding incidents. Managers investigated these concerns promptly and appropriately and took action to reduce the risk of additional incidents from occurring. Managers also facilitated debriefs following incidents to promote the safety and wellbeing of people and staff. One staff member said, “We always have a debrief the day after to make sure everybody is okay.”

People who used the service were involved in the holistic assessment and regular review of their needs and risks. This ensured care was person centred. One staff member said, “Everyone has key workers allocated, we review care plans every 3 to 6 months or sooner if required” and “We involve the person as key worker and ask for feedback.” A proactive and positive approach to risk assessment and management was in place that promoted independence and choice.

Safe staffing levels were maintained, and staff received the training needed to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. This included the training required to manage medicines safely. One staff member told us, “All staff are trained in medicines administration, and we have a competency check very regularly.”

Evidence based guidance was used to ensure care was planned and delivered effectively. This included the use of national guidance to ensure staff had access to the information needed to support people with their health needs. Staff told us how they used this information to keep people well. Systems were in place to ensure people’s outcomes were monitored to promote their health and wellbeing. People were supported to set goals for their future, and these goals were reviewed and monitored to ensure people were supported to achieve them. The registered manager told us how they were working with a person whose goal was to experience a different type of holiday than they had previously experienced. They said, “[Person who used the service] wants to go on a cruise next year, so we are supporting them to get a new passport so they can do this.”

We observed kind, compassionate and dignified interactions between people and staff. Staff described multiple examples of how they ensured the care and support they provided promoted people’s right to privacy and dignity. One staff member said, “I always knock on doors before entering and I ask how they want something rather than deciding for them.”

The managers and staff were very aware of the barriers people who used the service may face in relation to accessing the right care at the right time and experiencing equal opportunities, including accessing and being part of the local community. Care records demonstrated staff provided the support people required to overcome these barriers.

The service was well-led, with a positive culture, based on the provider’s values and strategic vision. Staff displayed the service’s values and were proud to work at the service and with the people who lived there. One staff member said, “I love it, I get satisfaction from it. If [people who used the service] are happy, I know I’ve done a good job.” Staff described the management team as approachable and proactive. One staff member said, “You ask for something and it happens, there’s good teamwork.”

Effective systems were in place at service and provider level, to ensure the safety and quality of the care people received was regularly assessed, monitored and where required, improved.