Ann House

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’. This guidance supported judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choice, independence and access to local communities that most people take for granted.

We assessed the quality statements from the key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

The service had a proactive and positive culture of safety and lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services. People were supported to manage their risks safely. Staff were recruited safely and worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. The care environment was safe, and the provider put a plan in place to ensure refurbishments were carried out. However, safeguarding, infection prevention and control, and medicines processes were not always effective.

People’s care was delivered in line with national standards or evidence-based good practice guidance. The service worked well across teams and services to support people. People were referred to health and social care partners for specialist support, when required. People were supported to maintain a good quality of life and to achieve positive outcomes. People had access to independent advocacy and staff sought their consent about care. However, people’s care plans did not always consistently reflect all of their support needs.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion. Staff treated people as individuals and promoted their independence. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. The management team promoted staff wellbeing.

People received personalised support from staff who knew them well. Staff had a good understanding of the needs of people with a learning disability and/or autistic people and had completed training in this area. Staff knew and met people’s communication needs and provided information in appropriate formats. The service made sure that people could access care, support and treatment when they needed it. Staff and managers expressed a commitment to ensuring people did not face discrimination and had equal opportunities within and outside the home. People were supported to plan for the future.

The service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. The management team was made up of leaders who had the skills, knowledge and experience and credibility to lead effectively. Staff felt able to speak up about any concerns they had with the management team or outside the organisation. Staff mostly felt equal members of the team and valued as individuals. The service shared information and learning within the organisation and with partners and collaborated for improvement. The leadership team worked well together with a focus on delivering good care and improving systems. However, governance processes had not identified some of the issues we found at this inspection.