79 Malmesbury Road

At our last we rated the service outstanding. At this inspection we found evidence continued to support the rating of outstanding and because of this the report is in a shorter format.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The provider had a very 'hands on', active approach and presence within the service, with people who lived at the home, relatives, the local public and staff. He was constantly referred to us with praise and always by his first name. For the purpose of the report we will refer to him as the provider.

The views of people were sought in a way that was informal, relaxed and tailored to their individual needs. This demonstrated a person centred ethos and creativity and, ensured any barriers to effective communication were overcome. They used a sensitive approach that respected people's cultural backgrounds and mental health needs. We found during our visit that spending time with people and talking about things important to them, was an approach they were more familiar and comfortable with and enabled us to assess their experience of the service more effectively than asking more direct questions. Staff supported this and introduced us to everyone individually and explained why we were visiting.

People very were confident in their surroundings and with each other. The atmosphere was buoyant and people were excited to welcome us into their home and share their experiences. Staff were knowledgeable about everyone they supported and it was evident they had built up relationships based on trust and respect for each other. People experienced a lifestyle that met their individual expectations, capacity and preferences. There was an ethos of empowering people wherever possible and providing facilities where independence would be encouraged and celebrated.

Everyone involved in this inspection demonstrated a genuine passion for the roles they performed and individual responsibilities. They wanted to ensure that those living at the service felt safe and valued. Staff embraced new initiatives with the support of the provider, registered manager and colleagues. They continued to look at the needs of people who used the service and ways to improve these so that people felt empowered to make positive changes.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence

and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen."

The five questions we ask about services and what we found