Five-Ways

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

We carried out this assessment between 28 July and 7 August 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.

People were supported by enough staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them safely. Risks were assessed and people were involved in this. Systems operated to safeguard people from abuse. There were effective processes for reporting, investigating and acting upon incidents and safety concerns. Medicines were administered safely and the provider’s systems ensured the environment was safe.

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. We found staff and managers worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and the registered manager contacted supervising authorities as needed.

People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions; they had choice, control and freedom over their lives. People were at the centre of choices about their care. The registered manager and staff promoted equity of experience for people, ensuring they did not face unfair barriers to their chosen activities or use of community facilities. There were ample opportunities for people to share their views, ideas and concerns about their care, through talking with staff, the registered manager and senior leaders.

People and their families, where appropriate, were meaningfully involved in assessing their needs and planning and reviewing their care. The registered manager and staff knew people well and understood was important to them. They were mindful of how changing health needs might impact on this.

The registered manager and staff treated people kindly and respectfully, upholding their dignity and respecting their privacy. They promoted people’s independence as far as possible, recognising where people might need additional support to continue doing things that were important to them.

There were clear and effective governance arrangements to maintain and develop the quality of the service provided. The registered manager had fostered an open, inclusive culture at Five-Ways. The registered manager and staff were clear about their responsibilities and what was expected of them.