Qualities Services Ltd - 17 Kings Road

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.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting some of the underpinning principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture. Right Support: • The model of care provision and the care setting maximises people's choice, control and independence Right Care: • Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights Right Culture: • Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and car staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

Medicines administration records [MARs] were completed but we found two unexplained gaps in the records for one person on one occasion. The registered manager took immediate action to introduce a new auditing tool. This will help to ensure that records are maintained accurately, and people receive their medicines safely and as prescribed.

People told us they were safe and were protected from the risk of abuse. The service had safeguarding procedures in place that staff were well aware of. Staff received training on safeguarding people. Risk assessments and risk management strategies were in place as part of the assessment and support planning process. This meant risks to people and to staff were minimised.

There were robust recruitment practices in place and sufficient staff levels to meet people's needs.

The provider ensured that all their staff received appropriate training and support to understand and to

manage COVID-19. This included best practice for infection control and the use of PPE. Staff also received appropriate guidance on how to support people with dementia to understand the pandemic and COVID-19. The provider made appropriate support services available to staff in order to support their mental wellbeing through the pandemic and if they became unwell and when they returned to work.

There were systems in place to ensure that accidents, incidents and risks were appropriately recorded and included details of preventive strategies used by the service to reduce the likelihood of events occurring in the future.

Assessments were thorough and expected outcomes were identified. Support plans were reviewed and updated as people's needs changed. People were supported by staff who knew them well and were able to identify people's likes and dislikes. They were supported to eat and drink according to their dietary requirements taking into consideration people's preferences.

Staff received comprehensive training in all the necessary areas of their work. Staff had regular supervision with the registered manager, and they told us they felt supported.

People told us they were treated with dignity and respect. This was echoed by people's relatives. They told us staff had the right skills to deliver appropriate care and support. Staff were able to communicate with people well. Information was provided in various formats where required.

People and their relatives were confident that any feedback whether this was positive or negative would be addressed appropriately and resolved by the registered manager. They told us the registered manager welcomed feedback and they said complaints were dealt with swiftly and professionally.

People told us they thought the service was well led and that they were very happy with the support they received.

There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided to people which ensured good governance. Technology was used effectively by the provider to ensure people were informed promptly about potentially missed or late calls. The service had systems in place to notify the appropriate authorities where concerns were identified. The culture of the service was positive, open and person centred.

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