Wynhill Lodge Short Breaks Service

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 respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

The service did not consistently ensure care was delivered in line with the principles of Right Support, or Right Care. Where restrictive practices, such as the use of listening devices to monitor people, were in place, there were no records to demonstrate that their use was justified, proportionate, or regularly reviewed, including consideration of whether they were the least restrictive option available. This meant the provider could not be assured that people’s human rights were fully considered or upheld. Care plans and risk assessments were not always accurate or up to date, which meant staff did not always have clear guidance to support people safely. Medicines were not always managed safely. Incidents were not always recorded, reported, or investigated to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. Where people showed signs of distress and required positive behaviour support (PBS) (PBS is a person-centred, evidence-based framework for supporting individuals with learning disabilities, autism, or mental health conditions who may display "behaviours that challenge"), staff did not consistently record these incidents to identify triggers, patterns, themes, or learning. This limited staff’s ability to respond proactively and support people effectively.

The service did ensure that care was delivered in line with the principle of Right Culture: we found there was an open culture for people and staff to speak up. People were treated with kindness and compassion by staff who knew them well. People’s privacy and dignity was respected. Staff supported people to access their local community and encouraged them to make choices about their daily lives, including how they wanted to spend their time and what they wanted to eat and drink. People were also supported to develop and maintain their independence.

The provider was in breach of the legal regulation relating to safe care and treatment and good governance. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.