Stone Barton Short Break

An assessment has been undertaken of a service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. We have 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.

Right support -

People were supported to live as independently as possible and to maintain meaningful routines during their stay. Staff understood people’s individual needs and preferences and used personalised approaches to support them. We saw and heard examples of people being supported to make choices about their daily lives, including activities, meals and routines. Staff adapted their communication to meet individual needs, for example through the use of visual aids, gestures and simplified language. This helped people to express their preferences and remain actively involved in their care.

Relatives told us people were encouraged to take part in activities and maintain skills, and staff described promoting independence through an active support approach. This demonstrates the service was supporting people to have control over their lives and access opportunities that matter to them.

Right care -

People were supported by staff who were described as kind, respectful and compassionate. Observations and feedback consistently showed staff understood people well and treated them with dignity. Privacy was respected, and staff promoted consent and choice in day-to-day care delivery.

Relatives told us they felt confident in the care provided and described staff as attentive and responsive. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding processes and people were protected from avoidable harm through established systems and safe practices. Medicines were managed safely and care plans generally provided guidance to support safe and effective care.

These findings demonstrate people were supported in a way which upheld their human rights, dignity and individual preferences.

Right culture -

There was a positive and inclusive culture within the service, where staff worked well together and felt supported by management. Staff consistently described leaders as approachable, supportive and available, and spoke positively about teamwork and shared values.

Leaders promoted a culture of openness and learning, with governance systems to monitor quality and share learning from incidents. There was evidence of staff development through training, supervision and regular meetings, and staff were encouraged to raise concerns and contribute to improvements.

Relatives also provided largely positive feedback about the leadership and communication within the service, describing managers as responsive and accessible. This indicates the service is working towards a culture of open, person-centred and focused on continuous improvement.

The service demonstrated a positive culture with many aspects of care being delivered well, supported by committed staff and effective day-to-day care practices. Evidence gathered from people, relatives and staff showed people were supported by kind, caring and knowledgeable staff, with care personalised to individual needs and preferences. Relatives consistently told us people were safe, well supported and had developed trusting relationships with staff, and staff described strong teamwork and a supportive working environment.

Care plans and risk assessments reflected people’s needs. Staff told us they were easy to access and understand, and they were updated regularly.

The service worked with healthcare professionals and supported people with complex health needs, including PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy tube) feeding and specialist diets. Staff received relevant training and felt confident in their roles.

Overall, the service demonstrated strong person-centred practice, a caring staff team and a positive culture, and people had good experiences of care. The service was working in line with the principles of right support, right care, right culture, particularly in the way staff promoted choice, independence and dignity in everyday care.