The Tidings

Relatives felt their family members were provided with safe care, in a homely, clean environment. Staff had received training in safeguarding and understood their responsibilities in reporting any concerns. People received their medicines safely as prescribed by trained staff. Safe recruitment processes were being followed and there were enough staff available to support people's individual needs.

People living in the service, staff, and relatives felt the positive management of the service ensured good communication and they felt comfortable to voice an opinion and raise any issues, knowing they would be acted upon.

Staff had been sensitive to people's anxiety about the pandemic, providing individual support to explain why staff were wearing face masks and carrying out routine testing. Staff explained to people why they were unable to temporarily attend some of the external activities they enjoyed, whilst creating new indoor activities to support their well-being.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The outcomes for people using the service promoted choice and control, independence and inclusion. One person told us, "I tell staff what to do," not the other way round, and they felt included in decisions. Staff and leadership focused on ensuring people reached their personal goals through person centred approaches.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk